Valmiki Ramayana 1.40.10: Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 10

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम् · The Descent of Sagara’s Sons and the Wrath of Kapila

Devanagari script

भूयः खनत भद्रं वो निर्भिद्य वसुधातलम् ॥१०॥

अश्वहर्तारमासाद्य कृतार्थाश्च निवर्तथ ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.40.10

Transliteration

bhūyaḥ khanata bhadraṃ vo nirbhidya vasudhātalam ||10||

aśva-hartāram āsādya kṛtārthāś ca nivartatha |

Translation

ब्रह्मा ने कहा, फिर से खोदो, तुम्हारा भलाई हो। धरती का ऊपर का हिस्सा तोड़ के अंदर जाओ। जब घोड़ा लेके जाने वाला मिल जाए, तब काम बन के वापस आओ।

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Word by Word

• pituḥ: of the father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• vacanam: command/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āsādya: having received/reached
• āsādya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sad (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund)

• sagarasya: of Sagara
• sagarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled
• mahātmanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (‘great-souled’), qualifying sagarasya

• ṣaṣṭiḥ: sixty
• ṣaṣṭiḥ: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्या (numeral) used with sahasrāṇi: ‘sixty (thousand)’

• putra-sahasrāṇi: thousands of sons
• putra-sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘thousands of sons’); with ṣaṣṭiḥ = ‘sixty thousand sons’

• rasātalam: Rasātala (netherworld)
• rasātalam: Karma (कर्म/Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasātala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abhidravan: ran towards
• abhidravan: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√dru (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Rive the earth again and excavate, capture the one who has stolen the horse and return after having accomplished the purpose. Safety to you!

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• aśva (sacrificial horse)
• earth (vasudhā)

FAQs

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

Dharma as duty-fulfillment: the instruction emphasizes completing a righteous objective (recovering the sacrificial horse) and then returning without excess or disorder.

What is the narrative situation?

Brahmā issues a directive connected to the search for the stolen sacrificial horse: resume digging, locate the thief, and return after success.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kartavya-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in duty): perseverance toward a defined goal, paired with restraint—ending action once the purpose is achieved.