Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 25

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम्

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

Devanagari script

ते तु सर्वे महात्मानो भीमवेगा महाबला:।।1.40.24।।ददृशु: कपिलं तत्र वासुदेवं सनातनम्।हयं च तस्य देवस्य चरन्तमविदूरत:।।1.40.25।।प्रहर्षमतुलं प्राप्तास्सर्वे ते रघुनन्दन।

Transliteration

te tu sarve mahātmāno bhīmavegā mahābalāḥ ||1.40.24|| dadṛśuḥ kapilaṃ tatra vāsudevaṃ sanātanam | hayaṃ ca tasya devasya carantam avidūrataḥ ||1.40.25|| praharṣam atulaṃ prāptāḥ sarve te raghunandana |

Translation

Tất cả những bậc đại hồn, nhanh như gió dữ và hùng lực ấy—các con của Sagara—đã thấy tại đó Kapila, Vāsudeva muôn đời; và gần bên, họ thấy con ngựa của vị Thần đang gặm cỏ. Ôi Raghunandana, ai nấy đều dâng trào niềm hoan hỷ không gì sánh được.

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative Plural

• tam: that (one)
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative Singular

• haya-varam: the best horse
• haya-varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa/Karmadhāraya sense ‘excellent horse’; Masculine, Accusative Singular

• jñātvā: having recognized/known
• jñātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त) from √jñā

• krodha-paryākula-īkṣaṇāḥ: with eyes disturbed by anger
• krodha-paryākula-īkṣaṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + paryākula (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि): ‘whose eyes are agitated by anger’; Masculine, Nominative Plural

• khanitra-lāṅgala-dharāḥ: carrying spades and ploughs
• khanitra-lāṅgala-dharāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khanitra (प्रातिपदिक) + lāṅgala (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: ‘bearing spades and ploughshares’; Masculine, Nominative Plural

• nānā-vṛkṣa-śilā-dharāḥ: carrying various trees and stones
• nānā-vṛkṣa-śilā-dharāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śilā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: ‘bearing various trees and rocks’; Masculine, Nominative Plural

• abhyadhāvanta: they rushed towards
• abhyadhāvanta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Plural; with upasarga अभि

• saṅkruddhāḥ: enraged
• saṅkruddhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-krudh (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) from √krudh with upasarga सम्; Masculine, Nominative Plural

• tiṣṭha: stand/stop
• tiṣṭha: Sambodhana-prayukta kriyā (आह्वानार्थ-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person Singular

• tiṣṭha: stop!
• tiṣṭha: Sambodhana-prayukta kriyā (आह्वानार्थ-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person Singular; repetition for emphasis

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyaprayojaka (उद्धरण-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative particle (इत्यादि-वाचक)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• abruvan: they said
• abruvan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Plural

Context

Great sons of Sagara terribly swiftfooted and exceedingly powerful beheld the eternal Visnu in (sage) Kapila and not far away from him the horse grazing. O descendant of Raghu they all experienced unparalleled joy.

Characters & Entities

• Sagarātmajāḥ (sons of Sagara)
• Kapila
• Vāsudeva (Viṣṇu)
• Aśvamedha horse
• Rāma (Raghunandana)

FAQs

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

The verse supports the dharmic ideal of recognizing sacred presence and responding with reverence; it also reminds readers to interpret excitement with restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

This is a duplicated transmission of the moment when Sagara’s sons see Kapila and the sacrificial horse nearby.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Receptivity to the sacred (bhakti/śraddhā) is implied, though the broader episode warns that true virtue includes restraint and right judgment.