Shloka 20

ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः

Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave

Devanagari script

ते प्रविष्टास्तु वेगेन तद्बिलं कपिकुञ्जराः।।।।प्रकाशमभिरामं च ददृशुर्देशमुत्तमम्।

Transliteration

te praviṣṭās tu vegena tad bilaṁ kapikuñjarāḥ |

prakāśam abhirāmaṁ ca dadṛśur deśam uttamam ||

Translation

فلما دخل أولئك القِرَدةُ العظام كالفيلة ذلك الكهفَ مسرعين، أبصروا موضعًا ساميًا بهيًّا، مشرقًا بديعًا يسرّ القلب.

Word by Word

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

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

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• vegena: swiftly, with speed
• vegena: Karana (करण/instrument, manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vega (वेग प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; adverbial-instrumental ‘with speed’

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with bilaṃ)

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

• kapi-kuñjarāḥ: elephant-like monkeys
• kapi-kuñjarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition to te)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (कपि) + kuñjara (कुञ्जर)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘elephant-like monkeys’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• prakāśam: light, brightness
• prakāśam: Karma (कर्म/object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakāśa (प्रकाश प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; द्वितीया एकवचन

• abhirāmam: delightful
• abhirāmam: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhirāma (अभिराम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with prakāśam / or deśam by proximity)

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

• dadṛśuḥ: saw
• dadṛśuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन

• deśam: place, region
• deśam: Karma (कर्म/object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (देश प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (उत्तम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with deśam)

Context

As the elephant-like monkeys entered the cave quickly, they saw bright light and an excellent delightful place.

Characters & Entities

• kapikuñjara (mighty monkeys)

FAQs

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

Dharma is sustained effort: perseverance through darkness can open into clarity—symbolically, right striving leads to auspicious outcomes.

What is the narrative situation?

The search party penetrates deeper into the cave and unexpectedly encounters a luminous, pleasing inner realm.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage joined with hope—entering the unknown without abandoning the mission.