Shloka 21

सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः

हनुमद्वृत्तान्तकथनम्, सीताभिज्ञान-प्रदानम्, लङ्कादाह-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

ततः पश्याम्यहं देवीं सुरसां नागमातरम्।समुद्रमध्ये सा देवी वचनं मामभाषत।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ paśyāmy ahaṃ devīṃ surasāṃ nāgamātaram | samudramadhye sā devī vacanaṃ mām abhāṣata ||

Translation

அப்போது கடலின் நடுவே நாகமாதையான தேவியான சுரசாவை நான் கண்டேன்; அந்த தேவி என்னிடம் இவ்வார்த்தைகளைச் சொன்னாள்.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (sequence adverb)

• paśyāmi: I see
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• devīm: the goddess/lady
• devīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• surasām: Surasā
• surasām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); देवīm इत्यस्य विशेषण/सम्बोधन-नाम (appositional name)

• nāgamātaram: mother of serpents
• nāgamātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga-mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): nāgānām mātā; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• samudramadhye: in the middle of the ocean
• samudramadhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra-madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/अधिकरण): samudrasya madhye; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• devī: the goddess/lady
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular); apposition to sā

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• mām: to me
• mām: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• abhāṣata: spoke/said
• abhāṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Context

"I saw Surasa, the mother of serpents in the midst of the ocean and she said:

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Surasā
• Ocean (Samudra)

FAQs

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

A dharmic journey includes tests; one must respond with awareness and restraint when confronted by power and the unknown.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān recounts encountering Surasā mid-ocean, just before she speaks to him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Alertness and composure—Hanumān observes and listens before acting.