Shloka 21

अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः — मारीचोपदेशः

Maricha’s Warning and the Memory of Rama’s Power

Devanagari script

पातितोऽहं तदा तेन गम्भीरे सागराम्भसि।प्राप्य संज्ञां चिरात्तात लङ्कां प्रतिगतः पुरीम्।।3.38.21।।

Transliteration

pātito 'haṃ tadā tena gambhīre sāgarāmbhasi | prāpya saṃjñāṃ cirāt tāta laṅkāṃ pratigataḥ purīm || 3.38.21 ||

Translation

Então ele me lançou nas águas profundas do oceano; após muito tempo, ao recobrar os sentidos, retornei à cidade de Laṅkā.

Word by Word

• pātitaḥ: (having been) thrown down
• pātitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied passive state: 'I, having been thrown')
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु) + pātita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; passive participle used predicatively

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; pronoun

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (करण) / Agent-in-passive (कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental

• gambhīre: in the deep
• gambhīre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gambhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'ambhasi'

• sāgara-ambhasi: in the sea-water
• sāgara-ambhasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक) + ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): sāgarasya ambhasi; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• prāpya: having regained/attained
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण) (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), 'having attained'

• saṃjñām: consciousness
• saṃjñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• cirāt: after a long time
• cirāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cirāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'after a long time')

• tāta: dear (sir)/son
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; vocative address

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म) (goal as object with motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• pratigataḥ: returned/went back
• pratigataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-gam (धातु) + pratigata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्तरि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP used actively), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'having gone/returned'

• purīm: the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म) (appositional object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; apposition to 'laṅkām'

Context

That way I was spared by the young boy who was not versed in archery and who could still accomplish the task with ease.Those who accompanied me were destroyed.

Characters & Entities

• Kabandha
• Samudra/Sāgara (ocean)
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Consequences follow action: adharma brings suffering and humiliation, even if life is spared.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha describes being flung into the sea, later recovering, and returning to Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s measured justice—he neutralizes danger without needless slaughter.