Shloka 8

दुन्दुभिवधप्रसङ्गः

The Dundubhi Episode and the Proof of Rama’s Prowess

Devanagari script

वीर्योत्सेकेन दुष्टात्मा वरदानाच्च मोहितः।जगाम सुमहाकाय स्समुद्रं सरितां पतिम्।।4.11.8।।

Transliteration

vīryotsekēna duṣṭātmā varadānāc ca mohitaḥ |

jagāma sumahākāyaḥ samudraṃ saritāṃ patim || 4.11.8 ||

Translation

那恶心的敦杜毗，身躯伟岸，因勇力之傲而沉醉，又被所赐恩福所迷惑，遂前往大海——众河之主。

Word by Word

• वीर्योत्सेकेन: by pride of valour
• वीर्योत्सेकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्सेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'वीर्यस्य उत्सेकः' (pride of valour)

• दुष्टात्मा: wicked-souled one
• दुष्टात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'दुष्टः आत्मा यस्य/दुष्ट आत्मा'

• वरदानात्: from (the power of) a boon
• वरदानात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• मोहितः: deluded
• मोहितः: Karta (कर्ता; state of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; दुष्टात्मा इत्यस्य विशेषण

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सुमहाकायः: very huge-bodied
• सुमहाकायः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'सुमहान् कायः यस्य' (very huge-bodied)

• समुद्रम्: to the ocean
• समुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• पतिम्: lord
• पतिम्: Karma (कर्म; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समुद्रम् इत्यस्य विशेषण (appositional)

Context

'Wicked Dundubhi of huge body was proud of his valour and deluded by virtue of the boons, went to the ocean, the lord of rivers.

Characters & Entities

• Dundubhi
• Ocean (Samudra)

FAQs

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

Power and divine gifts must be governed by restraint; pride and delusion from boons lead to adharma and self-destruction.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugriva narrates the Dundubhi episode (background to Vali’s feats), describing how Dundubhi, swollen with arrogance, approached the ocean.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the verse highlights the absence of virtue—warning against arrogance (mada) and delusion (moha).