Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 22, Shloka 27

सागरप्रशमनम् / The Pacification of the Ocean and the Building of Nala’s Bridge

Devanagari script

नकामान्नचलोभाद्वानभयातत्सापार्थिवात्मज: ।ग्राहनकाकुलजलंस्तम्बयेयंकथञ्जन ।।।।

Transliteration

na kāmān na ca lobhād vā na bhayāt tāta pārthivātmajaḥ | grāha-nakākulaṃ jalaṃ stambhayeyaṃ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

ഹേ താതാ, രാജപുത്രാ! ആഗ്രഹം കൊണ്ടോ ലാഭലോഭം കൊണ്ടോ ഭയം കൊണ്ടോ പോലും—ഗ്രാഹങ്ങളാലും മറ്റു ജീവികളാലും കലങ്ങിയ ഈ ജലത്തെ ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കലും കട്ടിയാക്കുകയോ നിശ്ചലമാക്കുകയോ ചെയ്യാൻ കഴിയില്ല.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation)

• kāmāt: from desire
• kāmāt: Hetu (हेतु / cause-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Pañcamī-vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction)

• lobhāt: from greed
• lobhāt: Hetu (हेतु / cause-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Pañcamī-vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (disjunctive particle: or)

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation)

• bhayāt: from fear
• bhayāt: Hetu (हेतु / cause-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Pañcamī-vibhakti (Ablative/5th), Ekavacana

• tat: therefore/that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध / deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka (Neuter), Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here as discourse particle 'that/therefore'

• saḥ: I/he (that one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता / subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā-vibhakti, Ekavacana; pronoun

• pārthiva-ātmaja: O son of the king (O prince)
• pārthiva-ātmaja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन / address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine), Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• grāhaṇaka-ākula-jalam: water infested with crocodiles/sea-creatures
• grāhaṇaka-ākula-jalam: Karma (कर्म / object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāhaṇaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ākula (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka (Neuter), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; ākula = 'crowded/infested'

• stambhayeyam: I should stop/solidify
• stambhayeyam: Kriyā (क्रिया / verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stambh (स्तम्भ् धातु)
• Form: Liṅ-lakāra (Optative), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; causative sense 'to make rigid/stop' (स्तम्भय-)

• kathañcana: in any way
• kathañcana: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण / adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb: 'in any way/at all')

Context

"O Lord of the land! Out of desire or covetousness or even out of fear I will not be able to solidify the water infested with poisonous animals."

Characters & Entities

• Sāgara (Ocean)
• Rāma
• grāha (crocodiles)

FAQs

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

Dharma is not swayed by personal motives (desire/greed/fear). The Ocean insists that even strong emotional pressures cannot justify violating the natural order entrusted to it.

What is the narrative situation?

The Ocean responds to Rāma’s demand for a crossing by stating it cannot transform its waters into a solid path, emphasizing the waters’ dangerous ecology.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and steadfastness: the Ocean refuses to act from impulse and frames its refusal as fidelity to its ordained function.