Shloka 75

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

प्लवमानं समीक्ष्याथ भुजङ्गाः सागरालयाः।व्योम्नि तं कपिशार्दूलं सुपर्ण इति मेनिरे।।।।

Transliteration

plavamānaṃ samīkṣyātha bhujaṅgāḥ sāgarālayāḥ | vyomni taṃ kapiśārdūlaṃ suparṇa iti menire ||

Translation

ആകാശമാർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ പായുന്ന ആ കപിശാർദൂലനെ കണ്ടു, സമുദ്രനിവാസികളായ ഭുജംഗങ്ങൾ അവനെ സുപർണൻ (ഗരുഡൻ) എന്നു തെറ്റിദ്ധരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• plavamānam: flying/leaping along
• plavamānam: Karma (कर्म) of samīkṣya
• Type: Verb
• Root: √plu (धातु) → plavamāna (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present middle participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (object of samīkṣya)

• samīkṣya: having seen
• samīkṣya: Kriya (क्रिया) pūrvakāla (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam+√īkṣ (धातु) → samīkṣya (क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having seen'

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तर्यवाचक अव्यय (then/and then)

• bhujaṅgāḥ: serpents
• bhujaṅgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of menire
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhujaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• sāgarālayāḥ: dwelling in the ocean
• sāgarālayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāgara + ālaya (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sāgarasya ālayaḥ = sea-dwelling); विशेषण (qualifying bhujaṅgāḥ)

• vyomni: in the sky
• vyomni: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) locus
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyoman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म) of menire
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kapiśārdūlam: the tiger among monkeys
• kapiśārdūlam: Karma (कर्म) apposition
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tiger among monkeys); apposition to tam

• suparṇaḥ: Garuda
• suparṇaḥ: Pratijñā/Predicate (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावे विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suparṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; नाम (Garuda) used as predicate-noun in reported thought

• iti: thus/as
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) quotation marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-कारक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• menire: thought/considered
• menire: Kriya (क्रिया) main verb
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

Seeing Hanuman, the tiger among vanaras, coursing through the sky the serpents in their sea-abode mistook him for Garuda.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Ocean (sāgara)
• Suparṇa (Garuḍa)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as rightful might: when power is aligned with a just mission, it takes on the aura of divine protection, evoking Garuḍa, the enemy of serpents.

What is the narrative situation?

Serpents in the ocean see Hanumān flying overhead and, due to his grandeur, mistake him for Garuḍa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Pratāpa (majestic prowess): his presence inspires awe and immediate identification with a legendary power.