Valmiki Ramayana 1.39.19: Bala Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 19

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् · The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Addressed to RamaSetting: Pātāla/subterranean regions (implied)Places named: Pātāla (implied)

Devanagari script

नागानां मथ्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव ।

राक्षसानां च दुर्धर्षस्सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत् ॥१९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.39.19

Transliteration

nāgānāṁ mathyamānānām asurāṇāṁ ca rāghava |

rākṣasānāṁ ca durdharṣaḥ sattvānāṁ ninado 'bhavat ||19||

Translation

โอ้ราฆวะ! ครั้นพวกเขากวนและฉีกทะลวงสู่ห้วงลึก ก็เกิดเสียงอึกทึกอันยากทน จากเหล่านาค อสูร รากษส และสรรพสัตว์อื่นที่ถูกรบกวน ณ ที่นั้น

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Word by Word

• नागानाम्: of serpents
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)

• मथ्यमानानाम्: of those being churned/ground
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मथ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कालिक कर्मणि कृदन्त (Present Passive Participle/शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘being churned/tormented’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• असुराणाम्: of demons
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• राघव: O Rāghava
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• राक्षसानाम्: of rākṣasas
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• दुर्धर्षः: irresistible/terrible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• सत्त्वानाम्: of creatures/beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• निनदः: a roar/sound
• Type: Noun
• Root: निनद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• अभवत्: arose/occurred
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• मथ्यमानानामसुराणाम् = मथ्यमानानाम् + असुराणाम्
• निनदोऽभवत् = निनदः + अभवत् (विसर्ग-सन्धि)

Context

O descendant of Raghu! when the earth was being churned, an irrepressible sound of serpents, demons and rakshasas --of all creatures emerged.

The teaching

Actions that ignore unseen lives and realms generate fear and resistance; dharma includes regard for the hidden and the vulnerable.

Duties in tension

• Human/royal pursuit vs non-harm toward other beings across realms
• Assertion of dominion vs respect for cosmic ecology

Ethical theme

Ahiṃsā / loka-dharma

For your practice

Practice of humility before the unseen; cultivating fearlessness through steadiness rather than domination.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Raudra (fury)

Mood

Clamorous, oppressive, ominous

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Interconnected worlds
• Consequences of upheaval

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• nāgas
• asuras
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma recognizes the interconnectedness of life: violent disruption in one realm produces suffering in others; righteous action must account for broader harm and unintended consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

The princes’ excavation agitates subterranean beings—nāgas, asuras, and rākṣasas—creating a terrifying uproar.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes not a virtue but a warning: power used without restraint provokes resistance and disorder.