वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् vālmīki-rāmāyaṇam - book-6, chapter-13, verse-21

अबद्ध्वा सागरे सेतुं घोरे ऽस्मिन् वरुणालये ।
लङ्का नासादितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः ॥२१॥

21. abaddhvā sāgare setuṃ ghore'smin varuṇālaye ,
laṅkā nāsādituṃ śakyā sendrairapi surāsuraiḥ.

21. abaddhvā sāgare setum ghore asmin varuṇa-ālaye laṅkā
na āsādayitum śakyā sa-indraiḥ api sura-asuraiḥ

21. ghore asmin varuṇālaye sāgare setum abaddhvā,
sa-indraiḥ surāsuraiḥ api laṅkā āsādayitum na śakyā

21. Without building a bridge across this terrible ocean, the abode of Varuna, Lanka cannot be reached even by the gods and demons, along with Indra.

Words meanings summery:

• अबद्ध्वा (abaddhvā) - Specifically, without having built a bridge (setu). (without having bound, without having built)

• सागरे (sāgare) - in the ocean, in the sea

• सेतुम् (setum) - The specific bridge to be built across the ocean. (bridge, dam)

• घोरे (ghore) - Describes the formidable nature of the ocean. (terrible, dreadful, fierce)

• अस्मिन् (asmin) - Refers to the specified terrible ocean, the abode of Varuna. (in this)

• वरुण-आलये (varuṇa-ālaye) - The ocean is identified as the dwelling place of Varuna, the deity of waters. (in the abode of Varuna, in the ocean)

• लङ्का (laṅkā) - The city of Lanka, ruled by Ravana, which is the destination. (Lanka (name of an island city))

• न (na) - not

• आसादयितुम् (āsādayitum) - The act of reaching the city of Lanka. (to reach, to obtain, to attain)

• शक्या (śakyā) - Indicates that reaching Lanka is not possible without a bridge. (able, possible, can be done)

• स-इन्द्रैः (sa-indraiḥ) - Emphasizes that even the most powerful gods, led by Indra, would find it impossible. (with Indra, including Indra)

• अपि (api) - Emphasizes the difficulty, meaning 'not even by them'. (even, also, too)

• सुर-असुरैः (sura-asuraiḥ) - Refers to all celestial beings, both divine and demonic, implying the universal difficulty. (by gods and demons)

Words meanings and morphology

अबद्ध्वा (abaddhvā) - Specifically, without having built a bridge (setu). (without having bound, without having built)

(indeclinable)

Gerund (absolutive) with negative prefix 'a-'.

From root 'bandh' (class 9) with suffix '-tvā' and negative prefix 'a'.

Root: bandh (class 9)

सागरे (sāgare) - in the ocean, in the sea

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of sāgara

sāgara - ocean, sea, one that has poison (sagara).

सेतुम् (setum) - The specific bridge to be built across the ocean. (bridge, dam)

(noun)

Accusative, masculine, singular of setu

setu - bridge, causeway, dam, bank, barrier.

From root 'si' (to bind, tie).

Root: si (class 4)

घोरे (ghore) - Describes the formidable nature of the ocean. (terrible, dreadful, fierce)

(adjective)

Locative, masculine, singular of ghora

ghora - dreadful, terrible, fearful, formidable, awful.

अस्मिन् (asmin) - Refers to the specified terrible ocean, the abode of Varuna. (in this)

(pronoun)

Locative, masculine, singular of idam

idam - this, this here, the present.

Proximal demonstrative pronoun.

वरुण-आलये (varuṇa-ālaye) - The ocean is identified as the dwelling place of Varuna, the deity of waters. (in the abode of Varuna, in the ocean)

(noun)

Locative, masculine, singular of varuṇālaya

varuṇālaya - abode of Varuna, the ocean, the sea.

Tatpuruṣa compound: Varuna's abode.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (varuṇa+ālaya)

• varuṇa – Varuna (Vedic deity, god of oceans, cosmic order, justice).
  proper noun (masculine)
• ālaya – abode, dwelling, house, receptacle.
  noun (masculine)
  From root 'lī' (to cling, dissolve) with prefix 'ā'.
  Prefix: ā
  Root: lī (class 4)

लङ्का (laṅkā) - The city of Lanka, ruled by Ravana, which is the destination. (Lanka (name of an island city))

(proper noun)

Nominative, feminine, singular of laṅkā

laṅkā - Lanka, the name of the capital of Ravana, traditionally identified with Sri Lanka.

न (na) - not

(indeclinable)

Negation particle.

आसादयितुम् (āsādayitum) - The act of reaching the city of Lanka. (to reach, to obtain, to attain)

(indeclinable)

Infinitive

From root 'sad' (to sit, to go) with prefix 'ā' and causative 'ay', then suffix '-tum'.

Prefix: ā

Root: sad (class 1)

शक्या (śakyā) - Indicates that reaching Lanka is not possible without a bridge. (able, possible, can be done)

(adjective)

Nominative, feminine, singular of śakya

śakya - possible, practicable, capable, able to be done, fit.

Gerundive (passive potential participle)

From root 'śak' (to be able). Declined in nominative singular feminine, agreeing with 'laṅkā'.

Root: śak (class 5)

स-इन्द्रैः (sa-indraiḥ) - Emphasizes that even the most powerful gods, led by Indra, would find it impossible. (with Indra, including Indra)

(adjective)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of sa-indra

sa-indra - with Indra, accompanied by Indra, including Indra.

Bahuvrīhi compound with 'sa' (with).

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (sa+indra)

• sa – with, accompanied by, together with.
  indeclinable
• indra – Indra (king of the gods, thunder-god).
  proper noun (masculine)

अपि (api) - Emphasizes the difficulty, meaning 'not even by them'. (even, also, too)

(indeclinable)

Particle, often emphasizing the preceding word.

सुर-असुरैः (sura-asuraiḥ) - Refers to all celestial beings, both divine and demonic, implying the universal difficulty. (by gods and demons)

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of surāsura

surāsura - gods and demons (collectively), divine and anti-divine beings.

Dvandva compound of 'sura' (god) and 'asura' (demon).

Compound type : dvandva (sura+asura)

• sura – god, deity, divine being.
  noun (masculine)
• asura – demon, evil spirit, opponent of the gods.
  noun (masculine)

Previous Verse Next Verse