Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 20

कामधेनुसैन्यप्रादुर्भावः

Kamadhenu’s Forces, Visvamitra’s Austerities, and Vasishta’s Wrath

Devanagari script

विवर्धमानो वीर्येण समुद्र इव पर्वणि।हतमेव तदा मेने वसिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम्।।1.55.20।।

Transliteration

vivardhamāno vīryeṇa samudra iva parvaṇi |

hatam eva tadā mene vasiṣṭham ṛṣisattamam || 1.55.20 ||

Translation

Habang lumalago ang kanyang lakas—gaya ng dagat sa mga araw ng kabilugan— inakala niya noon na ang pinakadakilang rishi na si Vasiṣṭha ay tila napatay na.

Word by Word

• विवर्धमानः: growing/increasing
• विवर्धमानः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+वृध् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'विश्वामित्रः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वीर्येण: by (his) power/energy
• वीर्येण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/हेत्वर्थे

• समुद्रः: the ocean
• समुद्रः: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-चिह्न (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (simile particle)

• पर्वणि: on the (moon-)phase day (full/new moon time)
• पर्वणि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Temporal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कालाधिकरणे (at the lunar phase day)

• हतम्: slain
• हतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'वसिष्ठम्' इति विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• मेने: thought/considered
• मेने: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of thought)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऋषिसत्तमम्: the best of sages
• ऋषिसत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी: ऋषीणां सत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'वसिष्ठम्' इति विशेषणम्

Context

Like the sea during the full moon, with his increased power (blessed with the invincible strength of the weapons) Viswamitra thought the foremost of ascetics Vasishta was (already) slain. (It shows the height of the king's ignorance and arrogance).

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha
• samudra (ocean)

FAQs

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

Dharma demands discernment: arrogance creates delusion, making one misjudge the spiritually accomplished (brahma-tejas) as conquerable by mere force.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra’s confidence rises with newly obtained astras; he prematurely assumes Vasiṣṭha is already defeated.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is right judgment (viveka) and reverence for tapas (ascetic power), contrasting with Viśvāmitra’s rash presumption.