Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 89, Shloka 19

गङ्गातरणम्

Bharata’s Ferrying of the Army across the Ganga

Devanagari script

सवैजयन्तास्तु गजा गजारोहप्रचोदिताः।तरन्त स्स्म प्रकाशन्ते सध्वजा इव पर्वताः।।।।

Transliteration

savaijayantās tu gajā gajārōha-pracoditāḥ | tarantaḥ sma prakāśante sadhvajā iva parvatāḥ ||

Translation

Слоны, украшенные знаменами и понукаемые всадниками, переправлялись через воду, сияя, словно горы, увенчанные стягами.

Word by Word

• सवैजयन्ताः: with victory-banners; bannered
• सवैजयन्ताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-वैजयन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/particle (emphasis/contrast)

• गजाः: elephants
• गजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• गजारोह-प्रचोदिताः: goaded by elephant-riders (mahouts)
• गजारोह-प्रचोदिताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक) + प्र-चुद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘प्रचोदित’ = प्रेरित/goaded

• तरन्तः: crossing; while crossing
• तरन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while doing)

• स्म: (indeed/then; past marker)
• स्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भूतार्थ-स्मरणार्थक निपात (past-tense marker with verb)

• प्रकाशन्ते: shine; appear radiant
• प्रकाशन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-काश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• सध्वजाः: with flags
• सध्वजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• इव: like; as
• इव: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• पर्वताः: mountains
• पर्वताः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपमानपद (standard of comparison)

Context

The elephants, embellished with banners and goaded by their mahouts lookedsplendid like mountains with banners while crossing in the water.

Characters & Entities

• elephants (gaja)

FAQs

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

Dharma is orderly royal conduct: even in travel and hardship, the retinue maintains discipline and coordinated movement, reflecting governance through order.

What is the narrative situation?

Elephants with banners, guided by their mahouts, are shown crossing the water as part of the larger movement of Bharata’s party.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Controlled strength—power (elephants) directed by trained guidance (mahouts), mirroring the ideal of power governed by dharma.