Valmiki Ramayana 2.89.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 89, Shloka 7

गङ्गातरणम् · Bharata’s Ferrying of the Army across the Ganga

Spoken by Bharata to GuhaSetting: Gaṅgā riverbank near Guha’s settlement (Śṛṅgaverapura region)Places named: GaṅgāPre-crossing logistics for Bharata’s march toward Rama

Devanagari script

सुखा न श्शर्वरी राजन् पूजिताश्चापि ते वयम् ।

गङ्गां तु नौभिर्बह्वीभिर्दाशास्सन्तारयन्तु नः ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.89.7

Transliteration

sukhā na śśarvarī rājan pūjitāś cāpi te vayam |

gaṅgāṃ tu naubhir bahvībhir dāśāḥ santārayantu naḥ ||7||

Translation

Bharata rzekł: „O królu, noc była dla nas przyjemna, a ty nas rzeczywiście uczciłeś. Teraz niech rybacy i przewoźnicy przeprawią nas przez Gaṅgę licznymi łodziami”.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• sukhā: comfortable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana; predicate adjective of 'śarvarī'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• naḥ: for us / our
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen/6th), Bahuvacana (plural)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• śarvarī: the night
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarvarī (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• rājan: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• pūjitāḥ: honoured
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Bahuvacana; predicate of 'vayam'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/भाव)

• api: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle: 'also'
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/भाव)

• te: by you
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Ekavacana
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• vayam: we
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Prathamā (Nom/1st), Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• gaṅgām: the Ganga
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• tu: and / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/भाव)

• naubhiḥ: by boats
• Type: Noun
• Root: nau (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Bahuvacana
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• bahvībhiḥ: many
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahvī (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr/3rd), Bahuvacana; agrees with 'naubhiḥ'
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• dāśāḥ: fishermen
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom/1st), Bahuvacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• santārayantu: let (them) ferry across
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√tṛ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative), Parasmaipada; Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana; Causative (ṇic): 'let them ferry across'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• naḥ: us
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Dvitīyā (Acc/2nd), Bahuvacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• pūjitāścāpi → pūjitāḥ + ca + api
• naubhirbahvībhir → naubhiḥ + bahvībhiḥ
• dāśāssantārayantu → dāśāḥ + santārayantu

Context

O king (Guha)! the night passed comfortably for us. We have been honoured by you in many ways. Let your fishermen be ordered to ferry us across the Ganga in their boats.

The teaching

Gratitude and courtesy precede command; righteous urgency need not abandon gentleness.

Ethical theme

Rajadharma—polite governance and proper guest conduct

For your practice

Models mindful speech: acknowledge kindness, then act decisively toward dharmic goals.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Courteous, practical, purposeful

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Gratitude
• Order and governance
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Guha
• Gaṅgā
• boats

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as gratitude and orderly request: Bharata acknowledges hospitality truthfully and then asks for practical help without arrogance.

What is the narrative situation?

After being hosted overnight, Bharata thanks Guha and requests arrangements to cross the Gaṅgā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s humility and courtesy, even while exercising royal authority.