Shloka 5

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं लम्बमाने दिवाकरे।ददृशुस्सहिता रम्यं तटाकं योजनायतम्।।।।पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधं गजयूथैरलङ्कृतम्।सारसैर्हंसकादम्बैस्सङ्कुलं जलचारिभिः।।।।

Transliteration

te gatvā dūram adhvānaṃ lambamāne divākare |

dadṛśuḥ sahitā ramyaṃ taṭākaṃ yojanāyatam ||

padma-puṣkara-sambādhaṃ gaja-yūthair alaṅkṛtam |

sārasair haṃsa-kādambaiḥ saṅkulaṃ jala-cāribhiḥ ||

Translation

وبعد أن قطعوا مسافةً بعيدة، حين كان قرص الشمس يميل إلى الغروب، رأوا معًا غديرًا بهيجًا يمتدّ يوجنةً كاملة، مكتظًّا بزهور اللوتس، مزدانًا بقطعان الفيلة، ومزدحمًا بالكراكيّ والبجع وسائر كائنات الماء.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Pronoun, Masculine Nominative plural

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) > गत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• दूरम्: far
• दूरम्: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adverbially; Neuter Accusative singular

• अध्वानम्: a journey/path
• अध्वानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Masculine Accusative singular

• लम्बमाने: while setting/declining
• लम्बमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब् (धातु) > लम्बमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, आत्मनेपद-शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Masculine Locative singular; ‘while (it) was hanging/declining’

• दिवाकरे: in the sun (as it set)
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Masculine Locative singular; (दिवा-कर = ‘day-maker’, sun)

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Perfect, 3rd person plural

• सहिताः: together/assembled
• सहिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (उपसर्ग) + इ (धातु) > सहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Masculine Nominative plural; agreeing with ‘ते’

• रम्यम्: delightful
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; qualifying ‘तटाकम्’

• तटाकम्: a tank/pond
• तटाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तटाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular

• योजनायतम्: extending a yojana
• योजनायतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योजन + आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; (योजन-आयत = ‘a yojana in extent’)

• पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधम्: thick with lotuses
• पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म + पुष्कर + सम्बाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; (पद्मैः पुष्करैः च सम्बाध = crowded with lotuses and blue lotuses)

• गजयूथैः: by herds of elephants
• गजयूथैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + यूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Neuter Instrumental plural; (गजानां यूथैः = by herds of elephants)

• अलङ्कृतम्: adorned
• अलङ्कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलङ् + कृ (धातु) > अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; qualifying ‘तटाकम्’

• सारसैः: with cranes
• सारसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine Instrumental plural

• हंसकादम्बैः: with swans and kādambas
• हंसकादम्बैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + कादम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine Instrumental plural; (हंसाः च कादम्बाः च)

• सङ्कुलम्: crowded
• सङ्कुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सङ्कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; qualifying ‘तटाकम्’

• जलचारिभिः: with water-dwellers
• जलचारिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine Instrumental plural; (जले चारिभिः = by water-going creatures/birds)

Context

As the Sun was setting, they had covered a long distance, watching a yojana-long tank adorned with lotuses, and crowded with herds of elephants and flocks of cranes, swans and aquatic animals.

Characters & Entities

• sun (divākara)
• lotuses (padma)
• elephants (gaja)
• cranes (sārasa)
• swans (haṃsa)

FAQs

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

Dharma is non-possessive appreciation: the travelers witness abundance without claiming it, reflecting restraint and reverence for the forest’s living order.

What is the narrative situation?

Toward evening, after a long journey, Rāma’s group comes upon a vast, lotus-filled tank alive with animals and birds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance with gentleness—continuing the hard path of exile while remaining sensitive to beauty and life around them.