Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 12

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम्

The Descent of Sagara’s Sons and the Wrath of Kapila

Devanagari script

खन्यमाने ततस्तस्मिन् ददृशु: पर्वतोपमम्।।।।दिशागजं विरूपाक्षं धारयन्तं महीतलम्।

Transliteration

khanyamāne tatas tasmin dadṛśuḥ parvatopamam |

diśā-gajaṃ virūpākṣaṃ dhārayantaṃ mahītalam || 1.40.12 ||

Translation

Khi họ đào bới nơi ấy sâu thêm, họ trông thấy Virūpākṣa, voi trấn phương, mắt dị tướng, to lớn như núi, đang nâng đỡ mặt đất.

Word by Word

• khanyamāne: while being excavated
• khanyamāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khan (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present passive participle sense), सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/सामान्य-प्रयोगः; ‘खन्यमाने’ = ‘(तस्मिन्) खन्यमाने’ when (it) was being dug

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha/Temporal (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• tasmin: in that (place/region)
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular)

• dadṛśuḥ: they saw; beheld
• dadṛśuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• parvata-upamam: like a mountain
• parvata-upamam: Viśeṣaṇa of karma (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-निर्देशः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘पर्वत-उपमम्’ = mountain-like

• diśā-gajam: the quarter-elephant
• diśā-gajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक) + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘दिशां गजः’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• virūpākṣam: Virūpākṣa (the one with odd eyes)
• virūpākṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; नामरूपेण ‘Virūpākṣa’

• dhārayantam: supporting
• dhārayantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धारयन्तम्’ = holding/supporting

• mahī-talam: the earth’s surface
• mahī-talam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘मही-तलम्’ = surface of earth), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Receiving the command of their father, the magnanimous Sagara, his sixty thousand sons ran towards Rasatala (nether world).

Characters & Entities

• Virūpākṣa
• diśāgaja (directional elephant)
• earth (mahī)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes sustaining order: the cosmic image of a being supporting the earth symbolizes stability and responsibility as foundational virtues.

What is the narrative situation?

During their digging, Sagara’s sons reach a cosmic layer and witness the directional elephant Virūpākṣa supporting the earth.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dhāraṇa (support/sustenance): the ideal of bearing burdens for the welfare of the whole, mirrored in cosmological symbolism.