Shloka 51

पश्चिमदिशि अन्वेषणादेशः

Instructions for the Western Search Party

Devanagari script

एतावद्वानरैश्शक्यं गन्तुं वानरपुङ्गवाः।अभास्करममर्यादं न जानीमस्ततः परम्।।4.42.51।।

Transliteration

etāvad vānaraiḥ śakyaṃ gantuṃ vānarapuṅgavāḥ | abhāskaram amaryādaṃ na jānīmas tataḥ param || 4.42.51 ||

Translation

诸位婆那罗之雄啊，婆那罗只能行至此处；再往前无日之光，亦无可辨之界限——其后之境，我们不得而知。

Word by Word

• etāvat: to this extent
• etāvat: Parimāṇa (परिमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; used adverbially “up to this limit”

• vānaraiḥ: by monkeys
• vānaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śakyam: possible
• śakyam: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicative adjective “possible”

• gantum: to go
• gantum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), “to go”

• vānarapuṅgavāḥ: O leaders of monkeys
• vānarapuṅgavāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: vānarāṇāṃ puṅgavāḥ

• abhāskaram: sunless
• abhāskaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; nañ-tatpuruṣa: “without the sun”

• amaryādam: boundless
• amaryādam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-maryāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; nañ-tatpuruṣa: “without bounds/limits”

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• jānīmaḥ: we know
• jānīmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tataḥ: beyond that/from there
• tataḥ: Avadhi (अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• param: further/beyond
• param: Avadhi (अवधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used adverbially “further”

Context

'O great monkeys! you can go only up to that point. The Sun's rays do not extend beyond this and it has no boundaries.We do not know about the area beyond this limit.

Characters & Entities

• Vānaras
• Bhāskara (Sun)

FAQs

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

Dharma is joined with prudence: acknowledging what is knowable and doable prevents reckless action that could endanger the mission.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva sets a hard limit for the western expedition and admits uncertainty beyond that region.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya in speech—honest admission of limits of knowledge, paired with responsible leadership.