Shloka 14

सगरस्य पुत्रलाभः

Sagara’s Boons, Progeny, and the Rise of the Sixty Thousand

Devanagari script

षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि सुपर्णभगिनी तदा।महोत्साहान् कीर्तिमतो जग्राह सुमति: सुतान्।।।।

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭiṃ putra-sahasrāṇi suparṇa-bhaginī tadā | mahotsāhān kīrtimato jagrāha sumatiḥ sutān || 1.38.14 ||

Translation

其时，苏摩提——苏帕尔那（迦楼罗）之妹——选择赐福为六万之子，皆名闻遐迩，志业宏大。

Word by Word

• षष्ठिम्: sixty
• षष्ठिम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (as numeral used with sahasrāṇi by sense), द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (numeral)

• पुत्र-सहस्राणि: thousands of sons
• पुत्र-सहस्राणि: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('thousands of sons')

• सुपर्ण-भगिनी: Suparṇa’s sister (Sumati)
• सुपर्ण-भगिनी: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('sister of Suparṇa/Garuḍa')

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• महोत्साहान्: of great energy
• महोत्साहान्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महोत्साह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies sutān)

• कीर्तिमतः: famed
• कीर्तिमतः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीर्तिमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Vedic/epic variant ending -तः for -तः/-तः; intended acc. pl.); विशेषण (qualifies sutān)

• जग्राह: accepted / took
• जग्राह: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सुमतिः: Sumati
• सुमतिः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुतान्: sons
• सुतान्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Context

Then, Sumati (the other wife) sister of Suparna (Garuda) obtained the boon of sixty thousand sons endowed with fame and great perseverance.

Characters & Entities

• Sumatī
• Suparṇa (Garuḍa)
• Sagara (implied context)

FAQs

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

Choices shape destiny: Dharma teaching here is that boons and desires, once chosen, unfold into far-reaching narrative consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumatī selects the alternative boon—many sons—setting up the later famous episode of Sagara’s sixty thousand sons.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ambition and aspiration: the preference for many famed, energetic sons highlights a drive for expansive power and renown.