Valmiki Ramayana 6.21.23-24: Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 21, Shlokas 23-24

सागरप्रतीक्षा-क्रोधप्रादुर्भावः

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

Spoken by RamaSetting: Seashore before the crossing to Laṅkā (Setubandha context)Places named: Varuṇālaya (ocean as Varuṇa’s abode), Mahārṇava (great sea)Pre-crossing; coercing the ocean to yield a passage

Devanagari script

अद्याक्षोभ्यमपिक्रुद्धःक्षोभयिष्यामिसागरम् ।

वेलासुकृतमर्यादंसहस्रोर्मिसमाकुलम् ॥२३॥

निर्मर्यादंकरिष्यामिसायायिकैर्वरुणालयम् ।

महार्णवंक्षोभयिष्येमहादानवसङ्कुलम् ॥२४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 6.21.23-24

Transliteration

adyākṣobhyamapikruddhaḥkṣobhayiṣyāmisāgaram |

velāsukṛtamaryādaṃsahasrormisamākulam ||23||

nirmaryādaṃkariṣyāmisāyāyikairvaruṇālayam |

mahārṇavaṃkṣobhayiṣyemahādānavasaṅkulam ||24||

Translation

ఈ రోజు క్రోధంతో అక్షోభ్యుడని చెప్పబడే సముద్రాన్నికూడా నేను కదిలిస్తాను. తీరాలచే విధించిన మర్యాదలో ఉన్న, వేల తరంగాలతో కలవరపడే వరుణాలయాన్ని నా బాణాలతో మర్యాదలేని దానిగా చేస్తాను; మహాదానవసంకులమైన ఆ మహార్ణవాన్ని మథిస్తాను।

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Word by Word

• अद्य: today/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
• Role: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)

• अक्षोभ्यम्: unshakable, not to be disturbed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु) + अ (उपसर्ग) + अण्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘अक्षोभ्य’ = ‘अक्षोभणीय’ (not-to-be-agitated), कर्मणि-योग्यतावाचक कृदन्त (gerundive-like adjective)
• Role: कर्मविशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa/Object qualifier)

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपवादार्थ (even/also)
• Role: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भावे कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally)
• Role: कर्तृविशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa/Subject qualifier)

• क्षोभयिष्यामि: I will agitate/torment
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षुभ् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त-धातु (causative)
• Role: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)

• सागरम्: the ocean
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)
• Role: कर्म (Karma/Object)

• वेलासु: on the shores/at the coasts
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (locative plural)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)

• कृतमर्यादम्: having set boundaries
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु + क्त) + मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृता मर्यादा यस्य/यत्र) = ‘having fixed bounds/limits’ (used as adjective of सागरम्)
• Role: कर्मविशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa/Object qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• सहस्रोर्मिसमाकुलम्: filled with thousands of waves
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-समास: ‘सहस्र-ऊर्मिभिः समाकुलम्’ (crowded with thousand waves)
• Role: कर्मविशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa/Object qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• अद्याक्षोभ्यमपि → अद्य + अक्षोभ्यम् + अपि
• क्रुद्धःक्षोभयिष्यामि → क्रुद्धः + क्षोभयिष्यामि
• वेलासुकृतमर्यादं → वेलासु + कृतमर्यादम्
• सहस्रोर्मिसमाकुलम् → सहस्र + ऊर्मि + समाकुलम्

Context

"(The ocean) Having made me angry, now I will torment the ocean even though it is imperturbable and has its limits. I will torment the ocean with its thousands of waves and mighty demons by my arrows and make the ocean cross its boundary."

The teaching

When righteous purpose is obstructed, force may be invoked, yet it must ultimately re-align with maryādā (order) rather than become mere wrath.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya duty to accomplish the mission (reach Laṅkā, rescue Sītā)
• Dharma of restraint and non-violence toward beings not directly culpable
• Respect for cosmic order/elemental deities vs coercive force

Ethical theme

Dharma-sankata / rāja-dharma

How it resolves

Threatened coercion as upāya (means) to restore dharma; later tempered by negotiation/boon (setu)

For your practice

Contemplation on disciplined power: anger harnessed for dharma, not ego; reflection on boundaries (maryādā) in one’s conduct.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Threatening, cataclysmic, unyielding

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryādā (cosmic and social boundaries)
• Daṇḍa (punitive power)
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sāgara (Ocean)
• Varuṇa
• Dānavas

FAQs

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

Maryādā (right order/limits) is central: when a power that should uphold order obstructs righteousness, Dharma authorizes corrective force to restore the path of duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma vows to violently agitate and even transgress the ocean’s boundaries using divine martial force if passage is not granted.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective severity—firmness used in service of a just cause, not personal gain.