Ramayana — Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 18

स्वयंप्रभा

प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Svayamprabha Explains the Golden Forest and Questions the Vanaras

Devanagari script

किं कार्यं कस्य वा हेतोः कान्ताराणि प्रपश्यथ।।4.51.18।।कथं चेदं वनं दुर्गं युष्माभिरुपलक्षितम्।

Transliteration

kiṃ kāryaṃ kasya vā hetoḥ kāntārāṇi prapaśyatha || 4.51.18 || kathaṃ cedaṃ vanaṃ durgaṃ yuṣmābhir upalakṣitam |

Translation

What is your task, and for what purpose are you searching these wilderness tracts? And how was this inaccessible forest discovered by you?

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• कार्यम्: task, purpose
• कार्यम्: Karma/Prayojana (कर्म/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• कस्य: of whom / for what
• कस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m./n.), षष्ठी (Gen. 6), एकवचन (sg.)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• हेतोः: for what reason
• हेतोः: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी (Gen. 6), एकवचन (sg.)

• कान्ताराणि: forests, wildernesses
• कान्ताराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), बहुवचन (pl.)

• प्रपश्यथ: you (pl.) are looking at/searching
• प्रपश्यथ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पश्य् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Pres.), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

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

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.)

• दुर्गम्: inaccessible, hard to reach
• दुर्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषणम् वनस्य

• युष्माभिः: by you (all)
• युष्माभिः: Karana/Agent-Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (2nd person pronoun), तृतीया (Instr. 3), बहुवचन (pl.)

• उपलक्षितम्: was noticed/found
• उपलक्षितम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + लक्ष् (धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP) ‘उपलक्षित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1/2), एकवचन (sg.); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Context

'By whose prowess are these golden trees yielding sacred fragrant flowers and fruits? How are these golden lotuses created in the clear water? How is it that here are golden fishes and tortoises? Whose fruit of penance is this? Is it by your power? We do not know. You should tell all of us everything'.

FAQs

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

Discernment through inquiry: dharma requires knowing intention (kārya/hetu) before extending aid or judgment; motives matter in ethical evaluation.

What is the narrative situation?

The ascetic questions the newcomers about their mission and how they reached a difficult, hidden forest region.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom—she combines hospitality with careful questioning to ensure proper, dharmic engagement.