Shloka 31

अभिज्ञानप्रदानम्

The Token of Recognition (Chūḍāmaṇi) and the Crow Episode Recalled

Devanagari script

स तं प्रदीप्तं चिक्षेप दर्भं तं वायसं प्रति।।5.38.31।।ततस्तं वायसं दर्भस्सोम्बरेऽनुजगाम ह।

Transliteration

sa taṃ pradīptaṃ cikṣepa darbhaṃ taṃ vāyasaṃ prati || 5.38.31 ||

tatas taṃ vāyasaṃ darbhaḥ sombare 'nujagāma ha |

Translation

അവൻ ആ ദീപ്തമായ ദർഭത്തണ്ട് കാക്കയുടെ നേരെ എറിഞ്ഞു; പിന്നെ ആ ദർഭം ആകാശത്തിൽ കാക്കയെ പിന്തുടർന്നു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रदीप्तम्: kindled, blazing
• प्रदीप्तम्: कर्म (Karma; adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-दीप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), द्वितीया (acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) to तम्

• चिक्षेप: threw
• चिक्षेप: क्रिया (Kriya/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दर्भम्: a darbha-grass blade
• दर्भम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (acc), एकवचन

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (acc), एकवचन

• वायसम्: crow
• वायसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; target)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (acc), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: सम्प्रदान/दिशा (directional relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable) governing accusative; दिशा/प्रत्यभिमुख्य-अर्थ (towards)

• ततः: then
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Adhikarana of time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): 'thereupon/then'

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (acc), एकवचन

• वायसम्: crow
• वायसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; pursued)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (acc), एकवचन

• दर्भः: the darbha (blade)
• दर्भः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nom), एकवचन

• सः: it/he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nom), एकवचन; दर्भः इत्यस्य पुनरुक्त-निर्देश (resumptive pronoun)

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन

• अनुजगाम: followed
• अनुजगाम: क्रिया (Kriya/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ह: indeed (particle)
• ह: अलङ्कार/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कथन-प्रत्यय/स्मरणार्थक (emphatic/expletive)

Context

'Then you threw the burning darbha grass at the crow and it chased him in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• vāyasa (crow)
• darbha grass (as missile)
• sky (ambara)

FAQs

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

Adharma brings pursuit by consequence: when righteous authority is invoked, wrongdoing cannot easily escape accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma releases the empowered darbha, and it chases the crow in the sky.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in upholding justice—action is taken to completion, not abandoned midway.