Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.16: Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 16

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् · The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Addressed to RamaSetting: mahī-tala (surface of the earth)Departure and dispersal for search

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ता हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः ।

जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिताः ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.39.16

Transliteration

ity uktā hṛṣṭa-manaso rāja-putrā mahā-balāḥ |

jagmur mahī-talaṁ rāma pitur-vacana-yantritāḥ ||16||

Translation

बाप ने ऐसा कहा तोह राजकुमार खुश हो गए। वो सब बड़े-बल वाले थे। उन्होंने धरती पर चलना शुरू किया, राम। बाप की बात मान के चले गए।

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Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)
• Role: सम्बन्ध (उद्धरण/Quotation marker)

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/told
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; refers to rājaputrāḥ
• Role: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier; 'having been told')

• हृष्ट-मनसः: joyful-minded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √हृष्) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: 'हृष्टं मनः येषाम्' (whose minds are delighted); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to राजपुत्राः
• Role: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• राज-पुत्राः: princes
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'राज्ञः पुत्राः'; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
• Role: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• महा-बलाः: very powerful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: 'महद् बलं येषाम्' (of great strength); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to राजपुत्राः
• Role: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• जग्मुः: went/departed
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)
• Role: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)

• मही-तलम्: the earth's surface
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'महेः तलम्' (surface of earth); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (कर्म/Goal as accusative)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• राम: O Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन)

• पितुः: of (their) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)

• वचन-यन्त्रिताः: driven by the command (words)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक) + यन्त्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √यन्त्र्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'वचनेन यन्त्रिताः' (restrained/impelled by words); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to राजपुत्राः
• Role: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• इत्युक्ता = इति + उक्ताः
• जग्मुर्महीतलं = जग्मुः + महीतलम्
• पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिताः = पितुः + वचनयन्त्रिताः

Context

"O Rama! thus commanded by Sagara, the highly powerful princes with cheeful hearts departed in obedience to their father's command in quest of the horse on earth.

The teaching

Joy and strength find their highest form when yoked to rightful obedience and duty.

Ethical theme

Filial duty (pitṛ-dharma) / kṣātra-dharma

For your practice

Models śraddhā in instruction and prompt execution of one’s assigned duty.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Eager, obedient, mobilized

Themes

• Dharma
• Obedience
• Filial duty
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sagara’s sons (princes)
• earth (mahī)

FAQs

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

Dharma is filial obedience within rightful authority: the princes act in accordance with their father’s command, treating duty as binding.

What is the narrative situation?

After receiving Sagara’s instructions, the sixty thousand sons begin their mission to search the world for the missing horse.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Readiness to serve and collective discipline—prompt execution of an assigned task.