Valmiki Ramayana 1.38.5: Bala Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 5

सगरस्य पुत्रलाभः · Sagara’s Boons, Progeny, and the Rise of the Sixty Thousand

Narrated by Viśvāmitra to RamaSetting: हिमवन्तः—भृगुप्रस्रवण-गिरिशिखरम्Places named: हिमवन्त, भृगुप्रस्रवणअयोध्या/राजधानी-त्यागः → हिमालय-गमनम् (तपः-यात्रा)

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां सह महाराजः पत्नीभ्यां तप्तवांस्तपः ।

हिमवन्तं समासाद्य भृगुप्रस्रवणे गिरौ ॥५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.38.5

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ saha mahārājaḥ patnībhyāṃ taptavāṃs tapaḥ |

himavantaṃ samāsādya bhṛguprasravaṇe girau ||5||

Translation

महाराज सगर अपनी दोनों पत्नियों के साथ चले गए। वो हिमवंत पहुँच के तपस्या करने लगे। यह सब भृगुप्रस्रवण पहाड़ के ऊपर हुआ।

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Word by Word

• ताभ्याम्: with those two (women)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सह/साकं-योगे), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (preposition-like indeclinable)
• Role: Sahakari (सहकारी)

• महाराजः: great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् राजा)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• पत्नीभ्याम्: with (his) two wives
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन
• Role: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)

• तप्तवान्: performed (had undertaken)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having performed’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• हिमवन्तम्: Himavat (Himalaya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पर्वतनाम (proper name)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• समासाद्य: having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having reached/approached’
• Role: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• भृगुप्रस्रवणे: at Bhṛguprasravaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु + प्रस्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भृगोः प्रस्रवणम्) स्थाननाम
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• गिरौ: on the mountain
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

Sandhi Notes

• ताभ्यां = ताभ्याम् (anusvāra before s)
• तप्तवांस्तपः = तप्तवान् + तपः
• भृगुप्रस्रवणे is a ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa place-name

Context

The king (Sagara) accompanied by his wives reached Himavat mountain and engaged himself in severe austerities on a peak called Bhriguprasravana.

The teaching

राजधर्मेऽपि वंश-स्थैर्यार्थं धर्मसम्मतं तपः साध्यते; तपसा सिद्धिः।

Ethical theme

राजधर्म/गृहस्थधर्म

For your practice

तपः-निष्ठा, दीर्घकाल-श्रद्धा, दम्पत्य-सहधर्मचर्या।

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

तपोनिष्ठा, गाम्भीर्य, संयम

Themes

• Dharma
• Tapas
• Itihasa
• Kingship
• SelfDiscipline

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sagara
• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Keśinī
• Sumati

FAQs

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

Dharma is pursued through tapas (self-discipline): even a king submits himself to austerity to fulfill responsibilities like progeny and continuity of the lineage.

What is the narrative situation?

Sagara, with both wives, goes to the Himalaya region and undertakes penance at Bhṛguprasravaṇa to obtain divine favor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Perseverance and self-control—royal power is shown as secondary to inner discipline.