Shloka 17

समुद्रतट-प्रयाणम् तथा वेलावन-निवेशः

March to the Seacoast and Encampment at the Shore

Devanagari script

गन्धहस्तीव दुर्धर्षस्तरस्वी गन्धमादनः ।यातु वानरवाहिन्या स्सव्यं पार्श्वमधिष्ठितः ।।।।

Transliteration

gandhahastīva durdharṣa tarasvī gandhamādanaḥ |

yātu vānaravāhinyāḥ savyaṃ pārśvam adhiṣṭhitaḥ ||

Translation

ขอให้คันธมาทนะ—ผู้ทรงพลังและยากจะต้านทานดุจช้างตกมัน—เข้าประจำการครองปีกซ้ายแห่งกองทัพวานรเถิด

Word by Word

• गन्ध-हस्ती: a rutting elephant
• गन्ध-हस्ती: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: 'गन्धेन (मदेन) युक्तः हस्ती' (rut-elephant)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (like)

• दुर्धर्षः: unassailable
• दुर्धर्षः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (hard to assail)

• तरस्वी: powerful
• तरस्वी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (powerful, energetic)

• गन्धमादनः: Gandhamādana
• गन्धमादनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper name)

• यातु: let (him) go
• यातु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वानर-वाहिन्याः: of the vanara army
• वानर-वाहिन्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of the vanara army'

• सव्यम्: left
• सव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'left'

• पार्श्वम्: flank/side
• पार्श्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अधिष्ठितः: stationed/occupying
• अधिष्ठितः: Karta (कर्ता; participle agreeing with Gandhamādanaḥ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'having taken position/being stationed'

Context

The vanaras were wonder struck when they saw the ocean that was noisy with rolling waves as if it was highly agitated and distressed.।।ityārṣē vālmīkīyē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē yuddhakāṇḍē caturthassargaḥ।।This is the end of the fourth Sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Gandhamādana
• Vanara army

FAQs

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

Strength is ethically framed as protective service—power is assigned to defend the collective in a righteous campaign.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma’s side-assignments continue, balancing the formation by placing a formidable warrior on the left flank.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Controlled might—being ‘unassailable’ is presented as a safeguard for others rather than mere aggression.