Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 26

सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम्

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

Devanagari script

ते तं हयवरं ज्ञात्वा क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणा:।।।।खनित्रलाङ्गलधरा नानावृक्षशिलाधरा:।अभ्यधावन्त सङ्क्रुद्धास्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रुवन्।।।।

Transliteration

te taṃ hayavaraṃ jñātvā krodhaparyākulekṣaṇāḥ | khanitralāṅgaladharā nānāvṛkṣaśilādharāḥ | abhyadhāvanta saṅkruddhās tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābruvan |

Translation

Nhận ra con tuấn mã ấy, mắt họ rối loạn vì giận dữ; tay cầm cuốc xẻng và cày bừa, lại mang theo đủ thứ cây và đá, họ phóng tới trong cơn thịnh nộ, miệng hô: “Dừng lại! Dừng lại!”

Word by Word

• asmākam: of us/our
• asmākam: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (षष्ठी) Plural

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative Singular

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) giving emphasis/reason

• turagam: horse
• turagam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: turaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular

• yajñīyam: sacrificial/fit for sacrifice
• yajñīyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajñīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Singular; agrees with turagam

• hṛtavān: has stolen/taken away
• hṛtavān: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect participle (लिट्-परिप्रयोग/क्तवत्), Masculine Nominative Singular; with auxiliary asi

• asi: you are (i.e., you have)
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person Singular; auxiliary with hṛtavān

• durmedhaḥ: O evil-minded one
• durmedhaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durmedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: ‘of bad intellect’; Masculine, Vocative Singular (सम्बोधन)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative Singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle

• samprāptān: arrived/come here
• samprāptān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-prāp (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) from √prāp with upasarga सम्; Masculine, Accusative Plural; agrees with sagarātmajān

• viddhi: know/understand
• viddhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person Singular

• naḥ: us
• naḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural; enclitic form

• sagarātmajān: the sons of Sagara
• sagarātmajān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sagara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘Sagara’s sons’; Masculine, Accusative Plural

Context

They recognised that best of horses. Their eyes were red with anger. Armed with spades, plough-shares and every kind of tree and stone and furious with wrath, they rushed towards Kapila shouting, wait, wait!

Characters & Entities

• Sagarātmajāḥ (sons of Sagara)
• Aśvamedha horse (hayavara)

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects violence born of anger and suspicion. Even when one believes an injustice occurred, righteous conduct requires inquiry and restraint before aggression.

What is the narrative situation?

After spotting the sacrificial horse, Sagara’s sons charge forward armed with digging tools and makeshift weapons, shouting for the figure before them to stop.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The episode highlights the need for kṣamā (forbearance) and viveka (discernment), virtues absent in their furious rush.