Shloka 40

सुग्रीवस्य शतवलि-प्रेषणम्

Sugriva’s Commission to Satavali for the Northern Search

Devanagari script

उत्तराः कुरवस्तत्र कृतपुण्यप्रतिश्रयाः।।।।ततः काञ्चनपद्माभिः पद्भिनीभिः कृतोदकाः।नीलवैडूर्यपत्राभिर्नद्यस्तत्र सहस्रशः।।।।रक्तोत्पलवनैश्चात्र मण्डिताश्च हिरण्मयैः।

Transliteration

uttarāḥ kuravas tatra kṛtapuṇyapratiśrayāḥ॥

Translation

ณ ที่นั้นแลคือแผ่นดินอุตตรกุรุ เป็นที่พึ่งและที่พำนักของผู้ได้สั่งสมบุญกุศลแล้ว

Word by Word

• uttarāḥ: northern
• uttarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• kuravaḥ: Kurūs (people/country)
• kuravaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; जनपद/जन-नाम

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• kṛta-puṇya-pratiśrayāḥ: having abode due to (their) merit
• kṛta-puṇya-pratiśrayāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त, √kṛ) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + pratiśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः) अर्थः: "कृतपुण्यस्य प्रतिश्रयः"; विशेषण

Context

'Thereafter you will reach the country of Uttara-Kuru, a resort for those who have done meritorious deeds.There are lotus ponds with golden lotuses with bluish and greenish leaves.There are thousands of rivers adorned with red and night lotuses of gold.

Characters & Entities

• Uttara-Kuru

FAQs

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

The verse links one’s destination and well-being to puṇya (meritorious action), reinforcing the Ramayana theme that righteous conduct bears फल (results) and creates worthy ‘refuges’ in life and beyond.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugriva instructs the northern search party, describing the regions they will encounter as they seek Sītā, including the famed land of Uttara-Kuru.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sugriva’s leadership and discernment: he guides the mission with informed, purposeful direction, grounding the search in a moral geography shaped by merit.