Shloka 120

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

अतिथिः किल पूजार्हः प्राकृतोऽपि विजानता।धर्मं जिज्ञासमानेन किं पुनस्त्वादृशो महान्।।।।

Transliteration

atithiḥ kila pūjārhaḥ prākṛto 'pi vijānatā | dharmaṃ jijñāsamānena kiṃ punas tvādṛśo mahān ||

Translation

ધર્મને જાણવાની ઇચ્છા ધરાવતો વિદ્વાન તો સામાન્ય અતિથિને પણ પૂજ્ય માને છે; તો પછી આપ જેવા મહાન પુરુષ તો કેટલા વધુ પૂજનીય!

Word by Word

• atithiḥ: a guest
• atithiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atithi (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom.,1st), Ekavacana

• kila: it is said, indeed
• kila: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (hearsay/emphasis particle)

• pūjārhaḥ: worthy of worship
• pūjārhaḥ: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदik) + arha (प्रातिपदik/कृदन्त from √arh)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः—'पूजायाः अर्हः'

• prākṛtaḥ: ordinary
• prākṛtaḥ: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; atithiḥ iti viśeṣaṇam

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (concessive: 'even')

• vijānatā: by a wise/knowing person
• vijānatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु) + vi-
• Form: Śatṛ (Present active participle) in Instrumental singular: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr.,3rd), Ekavacana; 'by one who knows/wise person'

• dharmam: dharma, righteousness
• dharmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc.,2nd), Ekavacana

• jijñāsamānena: by one wishing to know
• jijñāsamānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु) + desiderative stem jijñās + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Desiderative participle (सनन्त/देशिदेरटिव) with Śānac (present middle participle), Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr.,3rd), Ekavacana; 'by one desiring to know'

• kim: what (then)
• kim: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Interrogative particle used idiomatically in 'kiṃ punaḥ'

• punaḥ: moreover, then
• punaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb/particle) meaning 'again; moreover'

• tvādṛśaḥ: a person like you
• tvādṛśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvādṛśa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'one like you'

• mahān: great
• mahān: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tvādṛśaḥ iti viśeṣaṇam

Context

"Even a newcomer, however ordinary, deserves worship by a wise man who wishes to educate himself in the path of righteousness. Needless to say that distinguished guest like you deserves all reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Maināka
• Hanumān
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Atithi-dharma: honouring guests is a marker of righteousness, especially for one sincerely seeking dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Maināka justifies his offering of hospitality to Hanumān as a dharmic duty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Maināka’s commitment to righteousness through respectful, principled hospitality.