Shloka 11

वालि–मायावी–बिलप्रवेशः

Vali’s Pursuit of Mayavi and the Cave Episode

Devanagari script

स तृणैरावृतं दुर्गं धरण्या विवरं महत्।प्रविवेशासुरो वेगादावामासाद्य विष्ठितौ4.9.11।।

Transliteration

sa tṛṇair āvṛtaṃ durgaṃ dharaṇyā vivaraṃ mahat | praviveśāsuro vegād āvām āsādya viṣṭhitau ||

Translation

Asura itu dengan tergesa-gesa memasuki sebuah lubang besar di bumi, sukar didatangi dan tertutup rumput; kami tiba di situ lalu berdiri teguh.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tṛṇaiḥ: with grass
• tṛṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural

• āvṛtam: covered
• āvṛtam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvṛta (कृदन्त; √vṛ (धातु) with ā-)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies durgam/vivaram

• durgam: a hard-to-enter place
• durgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective used substantively 'a difficult place/passage'

• dharaṇyāḥ: of the earth
• dharaṇyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• vivaram: a hole/cavity
• vivaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vivara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; in apposition to durgam

• mahat: great/large
• mahat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies vivaram

• praviveśa: entered
• praviveśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √viś (धातु) with pra-
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• asuraḥ: the demon
• asuraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; subject of praviveśa

• vegāt: swiftly
• vegāt: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular; used adverbially 'with speed'

• āvām: we two
• āvām: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Dual

• āsādya: having reached
• āsādya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √sad (धातु) with ā-
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), indeclinable; 'having reached'

• viṣṭhitau: stood/took position
• viṣṭhitau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: viṣṭhita (कृदन्त; √sthā (धातु) with vi-)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) used predicatively; Masculine, Nominative, Dual; 'we two stood/took position'

Context

'The demon entered into a hole (cave) covered with a heap of grass, difficult, therefore, of access. Both of us reached there and took position.

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva
• Vālī
• Rāma
• Asura (unnamed here)

FAQs

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

Dharma is vigilance against wrongdoing: confronting an aggressor may require endurance and strategic positioning rather than reckless entry.

What is the narrative situation?

The pursued asura slips into a concealed cave-like opening; Vālī and Sugrīva arrive and hold position at the entrance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sthiratā (steadiness) and alertness in confronting danger.