Shloka 11

पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः — वानराणां प्लवन-पराक्रम-निरूपणम्

Assessment of the Vanaras’ Leaping Capacity; Jambavan Motivates Hanuman

Devanagari script

पूर्वमस्माकमप्यासीत्कश्चिद्गतिपराक्रमः।ते वयं वयसः पारमनुप्राप्तास्स्म साम्प्रतम्।।।।

Transliteration

pūrvam asmākam apy āsīt kaścid gati-parākramaḥ |

te vayaṃ vayasaḥ pāram anuprāptāḥ sma sāmpratam ||

Translation

“മുമ്പുകാലത്ത് എനിക്കും ഗതിയിലെ വീരപരാക്രമത്തിന്റെ ഒരു അളവ് ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ഇപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ വാർദ്ധക്യത്തിന്റെ അറ്റത്തേക്ക് എത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു.”

Word by Word

• pūrvam: formerly/earlier
• pūrvam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb (पूर्वम्)

• asmākam: of us
• asmākam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; genitive 'of us'

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (अपि)

• āsīt: was/existed
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kaścit: someone/a certain (one)
• kaścit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; indefinite pronoun

• gati-parākramaḥ: (one) of speed and valour
• gati-parākramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (इतरेतर) 'गति च पराक्रमश्च' (speed and prowess)

• te: those/so
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; demonstrative 'those/they' (often emphatic)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• vayasaḥ: of age
• vayasaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; genitive 'of age'

• pāram: the far end/limit
• pāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; 'end/limit'

• anuprāptāḥ: having reached
• anuprāptāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + pra + āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past participle; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; 'having reached'

• sma: indeed (past marker)
• sma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; past-tense particle used with participle/verb

• sāmpratam: now/at present
• sāmpratam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāmprata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb (साम्प्रतम्)

Context

'Earlier I was also very courageous, but now I have become old and reached the fag end of life.

Characters & Entities

• Jāmbavān

FAQs

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

Satya (truth) as dharma: Jāmbavān speaks honestly about his limitations instead of claiming ability he no longer has.

What is the narrative situation?

Jāmbavān begins his response by acknowledging that age has reduced his former leaping prowess.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and honesty: he does not compete in boasting, but states his condition plainly.