Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 9

कामधेनुसैन्यप्रादुर्भावः

Kamadhenu’s Forces, Visvamitra’s Austerities, and Vasishta’s Wrath

Devanagari script

समुद्र इव निर्वेगो भग्नदंष्ट्र इवोरग:।उपरक्त इवादित्यस्सद्यो निष्प्रभतां गत:।।1.55.9।।

Transliteration

samudra iva nirvego bhagnadaṃṣṭra ivoragaḥ |

uparakta ivādityaḥ sadyo niṣprabhatāṃ gataḥ || 1.55.9 ||

Translation

他顷刻失却光辉——如海洋波息无澜，如毒蛇断牙失势，又如日轮遭蚀而黯。

Word by Word

• hata-putra-balaḥ: whose sons and army were slain
• hata-putra-balaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √han) + putra (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘yasya putrāś ca balaṃ ca hatam’); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (of implied viśvāmitraḥ)

• dīnaḥ: wretched
• dīnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• lūna-pakṣaḥ: with cut wings
• lūna-pakṣaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lūna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √lū) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘yasya pakṣau lūnau’); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमार्थक

• dvijaḥ: a bird
• dvijaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; उपमान (here: bird)

• hata-darpaḥ: with pride destroyed
• hata-darpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √han) + darpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘yasya darpaḥ hataḥ’); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• hata-utsāhaḥ: with enthusiasm crushed
• hata-utsāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √han) + utsāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (‘yasya utsāhaḥ hataḥ’); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• nirvedam: despondency
• nirvedam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirveda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• samapadyata: fell into/attained
• samapadyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + pad (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Context

Seeing his sons and army destroyed the illustrious Viswamitra was filled with shame and anxiety.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra (implied subject)
• Ocean
• Serpent
• Sun (Āditya)

FAQs

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

Pride and violence drain inner brilliance. Dharma is linked to inner steadiness and right intention; when those collapse, one’s ‘tejas’ (moral-spiritual radiance) is depicted as fading.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration poetically describes Viśvāmitra’s immediate psychological collapse after defeat—his power and confidence appear neutralized.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes the need for humility: the imagery shows how quickly outward might becomes ineffective when inner resolve is broken.