Shloka 24

रामलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of Rama and Lakshmana; Alliance Narrative to Sita

Devanagari script

त्वामेव मार्गमाणौ तौ विचरन्तौ वसुन्धराम्।ददर्शतुर्मृगपतिं पूर्वजेनावरोपितम्।।।।ऋश्यमूकस्य पृष्ठे तु बहुपादपसङ्कुले।भ्रातुर्भयार्तमासीनं सुग्रीवं प्रियदर्शनम्।।।।

Transliteration

tvām eva mārgamāṇau tau vicarantau vasundharām | dadarśatur mṛgapatiṁ pūrvajenāvaropitam ||

ṛśyamūkasya pṛṣṭhe tu bahupādapasaṅkule | bhrātur bhayārtam āsīnaṁ sugrīvaṁ priyadarśanam ||

Translation

നിന്നെയേ മാത്രം അന്വേഷിച്ച് ഭൂമിയിലുടനീളം സഞ്ചരിച്ചിരുന്ന ആ ഇരുവരും, മൂത്ത സഹോദരൻ സ്ഥാനഭ്രഷ്ടനാക്കിയ മൃഗപതിയായ സുഗ്രീവനെ കണ്ടു. അനവധി വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ നിറഞ്ഞ ഋഷ്യമൂകപർവ്വതത്തിന്റെ ചരിവിൽ, സഹോദരഭയത്തിൽ വ്യാകുലനായി ഇരുന്നിട്ടും ദർശനമാത്രത്തിൽ മനോഹരനായ സുഗ്രീവൻ അവർക്കു ദൃശ്യനായി.

Word by Word

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• mārgamāṇau: seeking
• mārgamāṇau: Karta (कर्ता; participle agreeing with subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛg (मृग्) (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present middle participle/शानच्), आत्मनेपदी, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• vicarantau: wandering
• vicarantau: Karta (कर्ता; participle agreeing with subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √car (चर्) (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• vasundharām: the earth
• vasundharām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasundharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dadarśatuḥ: they two saw
• dadarśatuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual)

• mṛgapatim: the lord of animals
• mṛgapatim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृगाणां पतिः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• pūrvajena: by the elder brother
• pūrvajena: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण; agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• avaropitam: deposed/removed
• avaropitam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + √ruh (रुह्) (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि—'deposed/removed' (qualifying mṛgapatim)

Context

"While both of them were wandering, searching for you all over the earth they saw Sugriva, the lord of animals who had been thrown out of kingship by his elder brother and was living on the mountain Rshyamuka frightened of him.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sītā
• Sugrīva
• Ṛśyamūka

FAQs

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

Dharma includes recognizing the distressed and forming righteous alliances: the meeting with Sugrīva becomes the basis for mutual support against wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān narrates the pivotal encounter: during the search for Sītā, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa meet the exiled Sugrīva on Mount Ṛśyamūka, fearful due to conflict with his elder brother.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate discernment—seeing a fearful exile and engaging him in a path that later restores justice and enables Sītā’s search.