Valmiki Ramayana 1.44.3 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 44, Shloka 3

गङ्गावतरण-समापनः

Conclusion of the Descent of Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

तारिता नरशार्दूल दिवं याताश्च देववत्।षष्ठि: पुत्रसहस्राणि सगरस्य महात्मन:।।1.44.3।।

Transliteration

tāritā naraśārdūla divaṃ yātāś ca devavat | ṣaṣṭiḥ putra-sahasrāṇi sagarasya mahātmanaḥ || 1.44.3 ||

Translation

ഹേ നരശാർദൂലാ, മഹാത്മാവായ സഗരന്റെ അറുപതിനായിരം പുത്രന്മാർ മോചിതരായി ദേവന്മാരെപ്പോലെ സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി.

Word by Word

• तारिताः: were liberated
• तारिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया; passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु; √तॄ)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle, passive sense: 'were delivered'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नरशार्दूल: O tiger among men
• नरशार्दूल: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('tiger among men'); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• याताः: went
• याताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु; √या)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• देववत्: like the gods
• देववत्: Upamā (उपमा/Simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable in -वत्: 'like')

• षष्टिः: sixty
• षष्टिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (qualifying putrasahasrāṇi)

• पुत्रसहस्राणि: thousands of sons
• पुत्रसहस्राणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (thousands of sons); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सगरस्य: of Sagara
• सगरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying sagarasya)

Context

O King! as long as the waters in the ocean exist in this world, shall the sons of Sagara, live in heavens like gods.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Sagara-putrāḥ (sixty thousand sons)
• svarga (heaven)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responsibility toward ancestors: the narrative frames liberation as a consequence of righteous effort undertaken for forefathers, highlighting intergenerational duty.

What is the narrative situation?

After Gaṅgā’s descent and purification, Sagara’s sons—previously unable to attain proper rites—are described as finally liberated to heaven.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Pitṛ-bhakti (devotion to ancestors), implicitly upheld through the broader episode culminating in their deliverance.