Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 17

सागरप्रतीक्षा-क्रोधप्रादुर्भावः

Rama’s Vigil at the Ocean and the Rise of Wrath

Devanagari script

अद्यमद्बाणनिर्भग्नैर्मकरैर्मकरानिलयम् ।निरुद्धतोयंसौमित्रेप्लवभदिःपश्यसर्वतः ।।6.21.17।।

Transliteration

adya madbāṇanirbhagnair makaraiḥ makarānilayam | niruddhatoyaṃ saumitre plavabhṛdiḥ paśya sarvataḥ ||6.21.17||

Translation

अद्य मद्बाणनिर्भग्नैर्मकरैर्मकरालयम् । निरुद्धतोयं सौमित्रे पश्य प्लवगभिः सर्वतः ॥

Word by Word

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• मत्: my
• मत्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-समासार्थे (my-), अव्ययवत् पूर्वपद (in compound)

• बाणनिर्भग्नैः: shattered by arrows
• बाणनिर्भग्नैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्भग्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बाणैः निर्भग्नैः/shattered by arrows), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मकरैः: with crocodiles
• मकरैः: करण/सह (Instrument/with)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मकरानिलयम्: the abode of crocodiles (ocean)
• मकरानिलयम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मकराणाम् आलयः/abode of crocodiles), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निरुद्धतोयम्: with its waters checked/blocked
• निरुद्धतोयम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निरुद्धं तोयं यस्य/whose water is blocked/checked), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सौमित्रे: O Saumitra (Lakshmana)
• सौमित्रे: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• प्लवभदिः: tossing/leaping about (floating)
• प्लवभदिः: क्रियाविशेषण/भाव (Manner/state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्लव (धातु) + भदिः (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (describing state/motion)

• पश्य: see/behold
• पश्य: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वतः: on all sides
• सर्वतः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सर्वदिक्-वाचक (all-around adverb)

Context

"Saumithri! Witness the crocodiles shattered by my ruthless arrows jumping and floating in the ocean with water splashed on all sides."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)
• Samudra/Sāgara (Ocean)
• makara (sea-creatures)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is coercive power used as a last resort to remove obstruction—force is depicted as instrumental, aimed at compelling cooperation for a righteous end.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma begins to attack the sea with arrows, causing turmoil among sea-creatures, to compel the ocean to respond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Decisiveness and capability—Rāma demonstrates that he can enforce consequences when rightful requests are ignored.