Shloka 18

ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः

Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave

Devanagari script

निशाम्य तस्मात् शिंहांश्च तांस्तांश्च मृगपक्ष्णिः।।।।प्रविष्टा हरिशार्दूला बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम्।

Transliteration

niśāmya tasmāt siṃhāṃś ca tāṃs tāṃś ca mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ |

praviṣṭā hariśārdūlā bilaṃ timirasaṃvṛtam ||

Translation

فلما سمعوا من داخلها زئيرَ الأسود وصيحاتِ شتّى الوحوش والطيور، دخلت القِرَدةُ الشبيهةُ بالنمور ذلك الكهفَ المستورَ بالظلام.

Word by Word

• niśāmya: having noticed
• niśāmya: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-śam (शम्/शमुँ धातु ‘to notice, perceive’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having perceived/observed’

• tasmāt: from that (place)
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचन

• siṃhān: lions
• siṃhān: Karma (कर्म/object of niśāmya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (सिंह प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• tān: those (various)
• tān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (distributive: ‘various’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ: beasts and birds
• mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (मृग) + pakṣin (पक्षिन्)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (‘beasts and birds’); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (object of niśāmya)

• praviṣṭāḥ: entered
• praviṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (विश् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle used finitely); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘having entered/entered’ (with implied ‘āsan’)

• hari-śārdūlāḥ: monkey-tigers (mighty monkeys)
• hari-śārdūlāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (हरि) + śārdūla (शार्दूल)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘tigers among monkeys’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• bilam: cave
• bilam: Karma (कर्म/object of entering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bila (बिल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• timira-saṃvṛtam: enveloped in darkness
• timira-saṃvṛtam: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: timira (तिमिर) + saṃvṛta (संवृत कृदन्त, √vṛ ‘to cover’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘covered with darkness’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with bilam)

Context

On hearing him, the monkeys entered the cave full of darkness. There was no light of the Moon or the Sun. It was a horripilating experience.

Characters & Entities

• Monkeys (hariśārdūlāḥ)
• Cave (bila)
• Lions (siṃha)
• Beasts (mṛga)
• Birds (pakṣi)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes brave perseverance under threat: they do not retreat merely due to frightening sounds when the mission requires investigation.

What is the narrative situation?

Inside the cave are ominous animal sounds; despite this, the leading monkeys proceed into the darkness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fear-managed courage—advancing while fully aware of danger.