Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.16 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 16

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम्

The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ता हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबला:।जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिता:।।1.39.16।।

Transliteration

ity uktā hṛṣṭa-manaso rāja-putrā mahā-balāḥ |

jagmur mahī-talaṁ rāma pitur-vacana-yantritāḥ ||1.39.16||

Translation

Assim instruídos, os poderosos príncipes—alegres de coração—partiram pela face da terra, ó Rāma, impelidos pela obediência ao comando de seu pai.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (उद्धरण/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ताः: having been addressed/told
• उक्ताः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier; 'having been told')
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; refers to rājaputrāḥ

• हृष्ट-मनसः: joyful-minded
• हृष्ट-मनसः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √हृष्) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: 'हृष्टं मनः येषाम्' (whose minds are delighted); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to राजपुत्राः

• राज-पुत्राः: princes
• राज-पुत्राः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'राज्ञः पुत्राः'; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महा-बलाः: very powerful
• महा-बलाः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: 'महद् बलं येषाम्' (of great strength); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to राजपुत्राः

• जग्मुः: went/departed
• जग्मुः: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मही-तलम्: the earth's surface
• मही-तलम्: कर्म (कर्म/Goal as accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'महेः तलम्' (surface of earth); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राम: O Rama
• राम: सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पितुः: of (their) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• वचन-यन्त्रिताः: driven by the command (words)
• वचन-यन्त्रिताः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक) + यन्त्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √यन्त्र्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'वचनेन यन्त्रिताः' (restrained/impelled by words); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to राजपुत्राः

Context

O Tiger among men! each one of them occupying one yojana in length and breadth of ground, dug up the earth with their nails that were sharp as diamonds.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sagara’s sons (princes)
• earth (mahī)

FAQs

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

Dharma is filial obedience within rightful authority: the princes act in accordance with their father’s command, treating duty as binding.

What is the narrative situation?

After receiving Sagara’s instructions, the sixty thousand sons begin their mission to search the world for the missing horse.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Readiness to serve and collective discipline—prompt execution of an assigned task.