Valmiki Ramayana 1.40.21: Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

उत्तरस्यां रघुश्रेष्ठ ददृशुर्हिमपाण्डुरम् ॥२१॥

भद्रं भद्रेण वपुषा धारयन्तं महीमिमाम् ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.40.21

Transliteration

uttarasyāṃ raghuśreṣṭha dadṛśur himapāṇḍuram ||21||

bhadraṃ bhadreṇa vapuṣā dhārayantaṃ mahīm imām |

Translation

उत्तर की तरफ उन्होंने भद्र को देखा। वो बर्फ़ जैसा सफ़ा था। वो धरती को अपने आप में पकड़े हुआ था।

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Word by Word

• उत्तरस्याम्: in the northern region
• उत्तरस्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) (दिश्/प्रदेश-भावे)

• रघुश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Raghus
• रघुश्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form used in address), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थः: 'best among the Raghus'

• ददृशुः: they beheld/saw
• ददृशुः: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• हिमपाण्डुरम्: white like snow
• हिमपाण्डुरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिम + पाण्डुर (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'snow-white'); द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् to भद्रम्

• भद्रम्: Bhadra (the elephant)
• भद्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• भद्रेण: with auspicious
• भद्रेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (वपुस्-विशेषणम्)

• वपुषा: by/with (his) body
• वपुषा: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• धारयन्तम्: holding/supporting
• धारयन्तम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषणम् to भद्रम्

• महीम्: the earth
• महीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: कर्म (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); विशेषणम् to महीम्

Context

O Rama! in the northern region, they beheld an auspicious elephant named Bhadra, who was white like snow, was holding that quater.

Characters & Entities

• earth (mahī)

FAQs

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

Dharma is symbolized as sustaining the world through purity and auspiciousness: Bhadra’s snow-white, ‘auspicious’ form suggests that support of the world is tied to sattvic integrity.

What is the narrative situation?

In their digging toward the north, Sagara’s sons encounter the northern directional elephant Bhadra, described with vivid purity imagery.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Purity and beneficence: the guardian’s auspicious form implies benevolent strength aligned with righteousness.