Ramayana — Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 50, Shloka 19

ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः

Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave

Devanagari script

न तेषां सज्जते चक्षुर्न तेजो न पराक्रमः।।।।वायोरिव गतिस्तेषां दृष्टिस्तमसि वर्तते।

Transliteration

na teṣāṁ sajjate cakṣur na tejo na parākramaḥ |

vāyor iva gatis teṣāṁ dṛṣṭis tamasi vartate ||

Translation

Mắt họ chẳng thể định thần; ánh sáng và dũng lực cũng không giúp được. Họ lao đi nhanh như gió, nhưng tầm nhìn chỉ trôi trong bóng tối.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध) बहुवचन

• sajjate: works/settles (is effective)
• sajjate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saj (सञ्ज् धातु ‘to cling/attach’; here ‘to function/settle’)
• Form: लट् (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• cakṣuḥ: eye, sight
• cakṣuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (चक्षुस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• tejaḥ: brilliance, power
• tejaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject, ellipsis of verb)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (तेजस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• parākramaḥ: valor, prowess
• parākramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject, ellipsis of verb)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parākrama (पराक्रम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• vāyoḥ: of the wind
• vāyoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive in comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (वायु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (इव अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• gatiḥ: movement
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (गति प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी बहुवचन

• dṛṣṭiḥ: sight
• dṛṣṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛṣṭi (दृष्टि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• tamasi: in darkness
• tamasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (तमस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (अधिकरण) एकवचन

• vartate: continues/operates
• vartate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (वृत् धातु ‘to be/continue, move about’)
• Form: लट् (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

Context

They also searched near rivers, mountain streams, hill ranges, caves of lions and tigers, in the rock shelters and difficult spots of vast mountains.

Characters & Entities

• vāyu (wind)
• vānaras (implied: the search party)

FAQs

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

Dharma is endurance in rightful duty despite diminished capacities: even when strength and skill fail, one continues the assigned task without abandoning it.

What is the narrative situation?

Inside the cave’s darkness, the vānaras cannot see; their usual prowess is ineffective, yet they keep moving forward.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolute persistence (niṣṭhā) under disorientation—continuing the search despite fear, fatigue, and sensory failure.