Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 56, Shloka 22

षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः — वैदेही-आश्वासनम् तथा अरिष्टारोहणम्

Consoling Sita and Ascending Mount Arishta

Devanagari script

तेन पादतलाक्रान्ता रम्येषु गिरिसानुषु।सघोषास्समशीर्यन्त शिलाश्चूर्णीकृतास्ततः।।।।

Transliteration

tēna pādatalākrāntā ramyēṣu girisānuṣu | saghōṣāḥ samaśīryanta śilāś cūrṇīkṛtās tataḥ ||

Translation

Écrasés sous la plante de ses pieds sur les belles pentes de la montagne, les rochers se brisèrent avec fracas et dévalèrent, réduits en poussière.

Word by Word

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचनम्; 'by him'

• pāda-tala-ākrāntāḥ: crushed by the soles of (his) feet
• pāda-tala-ākrāntāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक) + ākrānta (कृदन्त, क्त; ā-√kram)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (शिलाः); समासः: 'पादतलेन आक्रान्ताः'

• ramyeṣu: in delightful
• ramyeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• giri-sānuṣu: on mountain-slopes/ridges
• giri-sānuṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक) + sānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचनम्; समासः: 'गिरेः सानुषु'

• sa-ghoṣāḥ: with a loud sound
• sa-ghoṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + ghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (शिलाः); 'सघोषाः' = with noise

• samaśīryanta: broke apart / shattered
• samaśīryanta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√śṝ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• śilāḥ: rocks
• śilāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचनम्

• cūrṇī-kṛtāḥ: powdered
• cūrṇī-kṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cūrṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम्; क्त-कृदन्त; 'cūrṇī-kṛta' = made into powder

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, काल/क्रमार्थे (adverb: 'then/from there')

Context

Crushed under Hanuman's feet the rocks making a loud noise on the beautiful mountain ranges rolled down, reduced to powder.

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• Mountain slopes
• Rocks

FAQs

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

Power is depicted as subordinate to purpose: Hanuman’s immense strength manifests as a byproduct of righteous mission, not as self-indulgent violence.

What is the narrative situation?

As Hanuman mounts the launch-point, his weight and force crush the mountain rocks, showing the scale of his impending leap.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Controlled might—capacity for great force held in service of a just objective.