Valmiki Ramayana 6.21.11: Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 11
सागरप्रतीक्षा-क्रोधप्रादुर्भावः
Rama’s Vigil at the Ocean and the Rise of Wrath
Setting: Seashore at the oceanPlaces named: Sāgara, Saridāṃ pati (lord of rivers)After three nights of vigil; continued waiting for passage
सत्रिरात्रोषितस्तत्रनयज्ञोधर्मवत्सलः ।
उपासततदारामस्सागरंसरितांपतिम् ॥११॥
sa trirātropṣitas tatra nayajño dharmavatsalaḥ |
upāsata tadā rāmaḥ sāgaraṃ saritāṃ patim ||11||
ครั้นประทับอยู่ที่นั่นครบสามราตรี พระราม—ผู้รอบรู้ในราชนิติและรักธรรม—ยังคงเฝ้าบำเพ็ญความเคารพต่อสมุทร ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งสายน้ำทั้งหลาย
Sandhi Notes
- त्रिरात्रोषितस्→त्रीरात्रोषितः (visarga/sandhi normalization)
- उपासततदा→उपासत तदा
- रामस्सागरं→रामः सागरम्
- सरितांपतिम्→सरिताम् पतिम्
Rama, a lover of dharma, who had political foresight, spent three nights waiting upon the ocean, the Lord of rivers.
The teaching
Political wisdom is not divorced from dharma; the discerning ruler persists in rightful means before escalation.
Duties in tension
- Dharma of reverence and patience toward a cosmic power
- Strategic necessity to secure passage quickly
- Kingly duty to protect the army’s momentum vs personal vow
- Ethical theme
- Rāja-dharma / nīti with dharma
Devotion and practice
Encourages sustained devotional waiting (upāsanā) and dharma-centered decision-making; useful for cultivating patience in practice.
- Deity praised
- Sāgara (lord of rivers)
- Form of praise
- Upāsanā/vandana
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)
- Mood
- Steadfast, dutiful, restrained
Themes
- Dharma
- Maryada
- Kingship/Policy (naya)
- Itihasa
- Ethics
Upāsanā as sustained attention toward the vast principle; the ‘lord of rivers’ suggests the one ground into which many streams resolve.
Rivers-to-ocean convergence motif resonates with śruti imagery of many paths/streams resolving into the One (common Upaniṣadic metaphor, especially in later Vedānta expositions).
- Rama and Ocean
- Worshipper continuing upāsanā toward a deified natural power (devout)
- Rama and Dharma
- Devotee of dharma (dharmavatsala) (faithful)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 6.21.10 (three nights pass); Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 6.21.12 (ocean’s non-appearance despite worship); Rāmacaritamānasa, Laṅkākāṇḍa (setu episode: Rāma’s prayer then anger at the sea)
Vedic epithet-like personification of natural forces as lords (ādhipatya of waters)
Setu-bandha narrative arc culminating in Nala’s bridge-building (Yuddhakāṇḍa later sargas)
Anuṣṭup (Śloka)
Narrative
Madhyama with gentle emphasis on “धर्मवत्सलः” and “सरितां पतिम्”
FAQs
Dharma is shown as respectful procedure: even when powerful, Rāma follows propriety by seeking cooperation through reverent approach rather than coercion.
Rāma remains at the shore for three nights, petitioning the ocean to permit a crossing for the vānaras toward Laṅkā.
Dharmic restraint paired with prudent statecraft (naya)—patience and method before force.
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