Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 13

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम्

The Descent of Sagara’s Sons and the Wrath of Kapila

Devanagari script

सपर्वतवनां कृत्स्नां पृथिवीं रघुनन्दन।।।।शिरसा धारयामास विरूपाक्षो महागज:।

Transliteration

sa-parvata-vanāṃ kṛtsnāṃ pṛthivīṃ raghunandana |

śirasā dhārayāmāsa virūpākṣo mahā-gajaḥ || 1.40.13 ||

Translation

हे रघुनंदना! महागज विरूपाक्षाने पर्वत-वनांसह संपूर्ण पृथ्वी आपल्या शिरावर धारण केली होती।

Word by Word

• sa-parvata-vanām: together with mountains and forests
• sa-parvata-vanām: Viśeṣaṇa of karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह-समासार्थः: ‘पर्वतैः वनैश्च सह’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पृथिवीम् विशेषयति

• kṛtsnām: entire
• kṛtsnām: Viśeṣaṇa of karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘entire’

• pṛthivīm: the earth
• pṛthivīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• raghu-nandana: O descendant-delighter of Raghu (O Rāma)
• raghu-nandana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘रघोः नन्दनः’), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• śirasā: with (his) head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• dhārayāmāsa: held; supported
• dhārayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्) periphrastic (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘held/supported’

• virūpākṣaḥ: Virūpākṣa
• virūpākṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• mahā-gajaḥ: the great elephant
• mahā-gajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘महान् गजः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Then while they were excavating the region they beheld the elephant of the quarter named Virupaksha equal in size to a mountain, supporting the earth.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma (Raghunandana)
• Virūpākṣa
• earth (pṛthivī)
• mountains
• forests

FAQs

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

The verse elevates the ethic of ‘bearing the world’—supporting society and nature—an ideal parallel to a king’s dharma of protection and stability.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra explains to Rāma what Sagara’s sons saw: Virūpākṣa holding the whole earth with mountains and forests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lokadhāraṇa (world-sustaining duty): steadfast strength used for preservation rather than domination—an implicit model for righteous leadership.