Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 62, Shloka 3

शुनश्शेफरक्षा–विश्वामित्रशापः

Sunassepha’s Rescue and Visvamitra’s Curse

Devanagari script

विवर्णवदनो दीनस्तृष्णया च श्रमेण च।।।।पपाताङ्के मुनेराशु वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह।

Transliteration

vivarṇavadano dīnas tṛṣṇayā ca śrameṇa ca | papātāṅke muner āśu vākyaṃ cedam uvāca ha ||

Translation

他面色惨白，因口渴与疲惫而凄苦，立刻倒在仙人膝上，并说出如下言辞。

Word by Word

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; genitive ‘of him’

• viśramamāṇasya: while (he was) resting
• viśramamāṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√śram + śatṛ (कृदन्त; धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; present participle (शतृ) ‘resting’ qualifying tasya

• śunaśśephaḥ: Śunaśśepha
• śunaśśephaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śunaśśepha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• mahāyaśāḥ: illustrious
• mahāyaśāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + yaśas (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; epithet of śunaśśephaḥ

• puṣkarakṣetram: the Puṣkara sacred region
• puṣkarakṣetram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara + kṣetra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; destination object with āgamya

• āgamya: having come/approached
• āgamya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्)

• viśvāmitram: Viśvāmitra
• viśvāmitram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of dadarśa

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• ha: indeed (narrative)
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Smṛti/itihāsa-nipāta (narrative particle)

• tapyantam: performing austerities
• tapyantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tap + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; present participle qualifying mātulam/viśvāmitram

• ṛṣibhiḥ: with sages
• ṛṣibhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; accompaniment

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; saha-artha (with)

• mātulam: maternal uncle
• mātulam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; apposition to viśvāmitram

• paramāturaḥ: greatly distressed
• paramāturaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + ātura (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying śunaśśephaḥ

Context

With his face discoloured due to thirst and fatigue, he (Sunassepha) immediately fell into the sage's lap in a pitiable condition and said:

Characters & Entities

• Śunaḥśepha
• sage (Viśvāmitra, by episode context)

FAQs

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

The dharma of compassion is invoked implicitly: the helpless person approaches a righteous authority seeking protection.

What is the narrative situation?

Śunaḥśepha, weakened by thirst and fatigue, collapses before the sage and begins his plea.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and the courage to seek rightful refuge rather than resorting to deceit or violence.