Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.14: Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 14

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् · The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

एकैकयोजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमधिगच्छत ।

यावत्तुरगसन्दर्शः तावत् खनत मेदिनीम् ।

तं चैव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.39.14

Transliteration

ēkaika-yojanaṁ putrā vistāram adhigacchata |

yāvat turaga-sandarśaḥ tāvat khanata medinīm |

taṁ caiva haya-hartāraṁ mārgamāṇā mamājñayā ||14||

Translation

Wahai anak-anakku, jelajahilah bumi dengan teratur, satu demi satu yojana. Selagi kuda itu belum terlihat, galilah bumi; dan menurut perintahku, carilah si pencuri yang merampas kuda korban suci itu.

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Word by Word

• एक-एक-योजनम्: each yojana at a time
• एक-एक-योजनम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb of measure)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (adverbial): 'एकैकं योजनम्' = yojana by yojana; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-आकार, द्वितीया-एकवचन used adverbially

• पुत्राः: O sons
• पुत्राः: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विस्तारम्: extent/area
• विस्तारम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of adhigacchata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• अधिगच्छत: cover/reach (systematically)
• अधिगच्छत: क्रिया (आज्ञार्थ/Main injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यावत्: until/as far as
• यावत्: सम्बन्ध (अवधि/Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative), परिमाण/अवधि (as long as/until)

• तुरग-सन्दर्शः: the sighting of the horse
• तुरग-सन्दर्शः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject of implied bhavati)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्दर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'तुरगस्य सन्दर्शः' (sighting of the horse); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तावत्: so long/that far
• तावत्: सम्बन्ध (परिमाण/Correlation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative), तावदर्थ (so long/that much)

• खनत: dig/excavate
• खनत: क्रिया (आज्ञार्थ/Main injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मेदिनीम्: the earth
• मेदिनीम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of khanata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of mārgamāṇāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphasis)

• हय-हर्तारम्: the horse-thief
• हय-हर्तारम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of mārgamāṇāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक) + हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'हयस्य हर्ता' (horse-stealer); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मार्गमाणाः: searching
• मार्गमाणाः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Agent-participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मार्ग (धातु-निष्पन्न/denominative √मार्ग)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); refers to sons

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• आज्ञया: by (my) command
• आज्ञया: करण (करण/Instrument; by command)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

'O sons, acquiring yojana by yojana the length and breadth of the earth, search for the thief of the horse. Excavate the earth till the time the horse is found. This is my command'.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• sacrificial horse (turaga/haya)
• earth (medinī)
• yojana (measure)

FAQs

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

Dharma is disciplined action in service of a sacred obligation: the king demands thorough, methodical effort to restore the rite’s integrity—though the later narrative warns that zeal without restraint can become adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Sagara issues operational instructions for the search: divide the land into measured sections, excavate as needed, and find the horse and the thief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve and administrative clarity—Sagara provides concrete, measurable steps rather than vague exhortation.