Shloka 23

Devanagari script

समासाद्य बिलं तच्चाप्यखनन्‌ सगरात्मजा: । कुद्दालै हैं षुकै श्वैव समुद्र यत्नमास्थिता:

Transliteration

samāsādya bilaṃ taccāpyakhanan sagarātmajāḥ | kuddālair haiṣukair śvaiva samudraṃ yatnamāsthitāḥ ||

Translation

Having reached that burrow, the sons of Sagara began to dig it out as well. With spades and other implements, they set themselves with determined effort to reach the ocean—driven by their resolve to complete their father’s command and to pursue their quest without turning back.

Word by Word

समासाद्यhaving approached/reached

बिलम्the hole/cave

तत्that

चand

अपिalso/even

अखनन्they dug

सगरात्मजाःthe sons of Sagara

कुद्दालैःwith spades

हैःindeed/forsooth (particle)

षुकैःwith picks/axes (reading uncertain)

श्वैःwith (implements) 'śva' (reading uncertain)

एवjust/indeed

समुद्रम्the ocean/sea

यत्नम्effort

आस्थिताःhaving undertaken/engaged in

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sagarātmajāḥ (sons of Sagara)

Bila (burrow/hole)

Samudra (ocean/sea)

Kuddāla (spade)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfast effort and commitment to one’s undertaken duty: once a task is accepted—especially in obedience to a rightful command—one should pursue it with perseverance and disciplined exertion.

What is happening in the narrative?

The sons of King Sagara reach a burrow and begin digging it out with spades and tools, pressing onward with the determined aim of reaching the ocean as part of their continuing search and mission.