Shloka 14

सूर्यानुगमनवृत्तान्तः

The Account of Following the Sun

Devanagari script

जटायुर्मामनापृच्छ्य निपपात महीं ततः।तं दृष्ट्वा तूर्णमाकाशादात्मानं मुक्तवानहम्।।।।

Transliteration

jaṭāyur mām anāpṛcchya nipapāta mahīṃ tataḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvā tūrṇam ākāśād ātmānaṃ muktavān aham ||

Translation

Sans me demander congé, Jatāyu plongea alors vers la terre ; le voyant faire, moi aussi je me laissai tomber promptement du ciel.

Word by Word

• जटायुः: Jatāyu
• जटायुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (singular), द्वितीया (Accusative)

• अनापृच्छ्य: without taking leave
• अनापृच्छ्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न + आ + पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (negative gerund): 'without asking/taking leave'

• निपपात: fell down
• निपपात: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• महीम्: to the earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Apadana/Kala (अपादान/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्-प्रभव (ablatival adverb: then/thereupon/from there)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having seen'

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्णम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• आकाशात्: from the sky
• आकाशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन (singular)

• आत्मानम्: myself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• मुक्तवान्: (I) descended/let down
• मुक्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); कर्तरि प्रयोगे 'अहम्' इत्यस्य सह (periphrastic perfect sense: 'I descended/let myself down')

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (singular), प्रथमा (Nominative)

Context

'I thought Jatayu had fallen down somewhere at Janasthana, but I fell on Vindhya, wings burnt, in an unconscious state.

Characters & Entities

• Sampāti
• Jatāyu
• Mahī (Earth)
• Ākāśa (sky)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It highlights responsibility in companionship: one responds immediately to another’s perilous action, even when communication fails.

What is the narrative situation?

Jatāyu abruptly descends; Sampāti follows him down from the sky.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Promptness and concern for another (anukampā, readiness to act).