Valmiki Ramayana 5.1.74 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 74

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

तिमिनक्रझषाः कूर्मा दृश्यन्ते विवृतास्तदा।वस्त्रापकर्षणेनेव शरीराणि शरीरिणाम्।।।।

Transliteration

timinakrajhaṣāḥ kūrmā dṛśyante vivṛtās tadā | vastrāpakarṣaṇen eva śarīrāṇi śarīriṇām ||

Translation

तिमिनक्रझषाः कूर्मा दृश्यन्ते विवृतास्तदा। वस्त्रापकर्षणेनेव शरीराणि शरीरिणाम्॥

Word by Word

• timi-nakra-jhaṣāḥ: whales, crocodiles, and fish
• timi-nakra-jhaṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of dṛśyante (with kūrmāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: timi + nakra + jhaṣa (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (whales, crocodiles, and fish)

• kūrmāḥ: tortoises
• kūrmāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of dṛśyante
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन

• dṛśyante: were seen/appeared
• dṛśyante: Kriya (क्रिया) main verb
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: 'are seen')

• vivṛtāḥ: exposed/uncovered
• vivṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi+√vṛ (धातु) → vivṛta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying timinakrajhaṣāḥ kūrmāḥ)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय

• vastra-apakarṣaṇena: by the removal of clothes
• vastra-apakarṣaṇena: Karana (करण) in simile-context
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra + apakarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vastrasya apakarṣaṇam = removal of clothes)

• iva: as if
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) upamā-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय

• śarīrāṇi: bodies/limbs
• śarīrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता) in implied simile-clause
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; उपमेय-रूपेण (as the thing compared: bodies/limbs)

• śarīriṇām: of embodied creatures
• śarīriṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) genitive
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive: 'of embodied beings')

Context

On account of the sea-water rising up, the whales, crocodiles, fish and tortoises laid bare like the limbs of the body disrobed.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān (implied as cause)

FAQs

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

Dharma is conveyed through the idea that actions have consequences in the world: even a righteous mission can disturb nature, reminding one to act with awareness and restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

The ocean is churned by Hanumān’s passage, making hidden sea-creatures visible, as if the sea’s covering were drawn aside.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Effective strength (śakti) in service: his power is so great it changes the visible surface of the ocean.