Shloka 47

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

ऊरुवेगोद्धता वृक्षा मुहूर्तं कपिमन्वयुः।प्रस्थितं दीर्घमध्वानं स्वबन्धुमिव बान्धवाः।।।।

Transliteration

ūruvegoddhatā vṛkṣā muhūrtaṃ kapim anvayuḥ |

prasthitaṃ dīrgham adhvānaṃ svabandhum iva bāndhavāḥ ||

Translation

തുടവേഗം തള്ളിയുയർത്തിയ വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ ഒരു നിമിഷം കപിയെ പിന്തുടർന്നതുപോലെ തോന്നി—ദീർഘയാത്രയ്ക്ക് പുറപ്പെടുന്ന സ്വന്തം ബന്ധുവിനെ ബന്ധുക്കൾ അനുഗമിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• ūruvegoddhatāḥ: driven up by thigh-speed
• ūruvegoddhatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūru-vega-uddhata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ūrūṇām vegaḥ → tena uddhatāḥ ‘lifted/impelled by thigh-speed’; qualifies vṛkṣāḥ

• vṛkṣāḥ: trees
• vṛkṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• muhūrtam: for a moment
• muhūrtam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially (कालाधिकरणार्थे द्वितीया)

• kapim: the monkey (Hanuman)
• kapim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• anvayuḥ: followed
• anvayuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√i (इ धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural; with preverb anu-

• prasthitam: set out on
• prasthitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Accusative, Singular, Neuter/Masculine agreeing with adhvānam; ‘set out/started’

• dīrgham: long
• dīrgham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies adhvānam

• adhvānam: journey/path
• adhvānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• svabandhum: their own kinsman
• svabandhum: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: ‘one’s own kinsman’

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमार्थक अव्यय)

• bāndhavāḥ: relatives
• bāndhavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Context

Swept away by the force of his thighs, the trees bent forward following him for a while just as relatives accompany their kith and kin on long travel.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• trees

FAQs

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

Dharma includes loyalty and support for righteous endeavor: the simile of relatives ‘seeing one off’ elevates the ideal of standing by those who undertake a noble duty.

What is the narrative situation?

As Hanumān launches, the trees bent by the wind and shock of his takeoff appear to ‘follow’ him briefly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

In Hanumān: inspiring leadership through action; in the simile: familial loyalty and accompaniment in dhārmic undertakings.