Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 28

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम्

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

Devanagari script

अस्माकं त्वं हि तुरगं यज्ञीयं हृतवानसि।दुर्मेधस्त्वं हि सम्प्राप्तान् विद्धि नस्सगरात्मजान् ।।।।

Transliteration

asmākaṃ tvaṃ hi turagaṃ yajñīyaṃ hṛtavān asi | durmedhas tvaṃ hi samprāptān viddhi naḥ sagarātmajān |

Translation

Sesungguhnya engkau telah mencuri kuda korban yajña kami. Wahai yang berakal jahat, ketahuilah: kami yang tiba di sini ialah putera-putera Raja Sagara.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• tena: by him/thereby
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental Singular

• aprameyena: immeasurable/inconceivable
• aprameyena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-prameya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental Singular; agrees with kapilena/mahātmanā

• kapilena: by Kapila
• kapilena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental Singular

• mahātmanā: by the great-souled (one)
• mahātmanā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya ‘great-souled’; Masculine, Instrumental Singular

• bhasma-rāśī-kṛtāḥ: reduced to heaps of ashes
• bhasma-rāśī-kṛtāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasma (प्रातिपदिक) + rāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound ‘ash-heap’; then kṛta (क्त) with causative sense ‘made into’; Masculine, Nominative Plural; predicate of sagarātmajāḥ

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Plural

• kākutstha: O Kākutstha (Rāma)
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative Singular (सम्बोधन)

• sagarātmajāḥ: sons of Sagara
• sagarātmajāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sagara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); Masculine, Nominative Plural

Context

'O Wicked-minded one! you have stolen our sacrificial horse. Know that those of us who have come here are the sons of Sagara'.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Sagarātmajāḥ (sons of Sagara)
• Kapila (implicit recipient)

FAQs

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

Satya and dharma require that accusations be grounded in knowledge and evidence. Speaking harshly and labeling another “evil-minded” without certainty becomes a breach of righteous speech.

What is the narrative situation?

Sagara’s sons confront Kapila upon seeing the sacrificial horse nearby and accuse him of stealing it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse negatively highlights the absence of śama (calmness) and satya-informed speech; the implied virtue is truthful, measured speech (satya + hita-vākya).