Valmiki Ramayana 5.1.4 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 4

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

द्विजान् वित्रासयन् धीमानुरसा पादपान् हरन्।मृगांश्च सुबहून्निघ्नन् प्रवृद्ध इव केसरी।।।।

Transliteration

dvijān vitrāsayan dhīmān urasā pādapān haran | mṛgāṁś ca subahūn nighnan pravṛddha iva kesarī ||

Translation

धीमान् हनुमान् द्विजान् वित्रासयन्, उरसा पादपान् हरन्। बहून् मृगांश्च निघ्नन्, प्रवृद्ध इव केसरी॥

Word by Word

• dvijān: birds
• dvijān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• vitrāsayan: frightening
• vitrāsayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√tras (धातु) शतृ (present active participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम् = ‘वित्रासयन्’ (frightening)

• dhīmān: the wise one
• dhīmān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• urasā: with (his) chest
• urasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• pādapān: trees
• pādapān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• haran: uprooting, carrying away
• haran: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु) शतृ (present active participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम् = ‘हरन्’ (carrying off/uprooting)

• mṛgān: animals, deer
• mṛgān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• su-bahūn: very many
• su-bahūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गेण अतिशयः (very many)

• nighnan: trampling, striking down
• nighnan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√han (धातु) शतृ (present active participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम् = ‘निघ्नन्’ (striking down/trampling)

• pravṛddhaḥ: fully grown
• pravṛddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vṛdh (धातु) क्त (past participle)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम् = ‘प्रवृद्धः’ (fully grown)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक

• kesarī: a lion
• kesarī: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kesarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमानम्

Context

Having thus addressed the monkeys the foremost of vanaras,Hanuman endowed with great speed leaped without any exertion. The elephant among monkeys felt like Garuda.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• dvija (birds)
• pādapa (trees)
• mṛga (animals)
• kesarī (lion, as simile)

FAQs

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

Power is portrayed as mission-oriented energy; in dharmic narratives, strength is meaningful when directed toward protecting righteousness, not mere display.

What is the narrative situation?

A descriptive passage highlighting Hanumān’s mighty movement and leonine force as he advances in preparation for the great task.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Physical prowess guided by intelligence (dhī) and purposeful intent.