Shloka 23

हेमन्तवर्णनम् तथा भरतधर्मनिष्ठा-चिन्तनम्

Winter Description and Reflection on Bharata’s Devotion

Devanagari script

अवश्यायतमोनद्धा नीहारतमसाऽवृताः।प्रसुप्ता इव लक्ष्यन्ते विपुष्पा वनराजयः।।।।

Transliteration

avaśyāyatamonaddhā nīhāratamasāvṛtāḥ |

prasuptā iva lakṣyante vipuṣpā vanarājayaḥ ||

Translation

শিশিরের স্নিগ্ধ অন্ধকারে আচ্ছন্ন ও কুয়াশার তমসে আবৃত, এখন ফুলশূন্য বনশ্রেণিগুলি যেন নিদ্রিত—এমনই প্রতীয়মান হয়।

Word by Word

• अवश्याय-तमः-नद्धाः: wrapped in dewy darkness
• अवश्याय-तमः-नद्धाः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवश्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + नद्ध (कृदन्त; √नह् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अवश्यायस्य तमः तेन नद्धाः/आवृताः)

• नीहार-तमसा: by the gloom of mist
• नीहार-तमसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीहार (प्रातिपदिक) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नीहारस्य तमः)

• आवृताः: covered
• आवृताः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृ (धातु) (आ उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वनराजयः इति विशेषण

• प्रसुप्ताः: asleep
• प्रसुप्ताः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्वप् (धातु) (प्र उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपमायाम्

• इव: as if
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक

• लक्ष्यन्ते: appear/are seen
• लक्ष्यन्ते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: are seen/appear)

• विपुष्पाः: flowerless
• विपुष्पाः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; वनराजयः इति विशेषण

• वन-राजयः: forest ranges
• वन-राजयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + राजि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनस्य राजयः = forest-ranges/lines)

Context

The flowerless forest ranges appear as if they are asleep, enveloped in the darkness of frost and snow .

FAQs

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

A quiet reminder of impermanence: seasons change and outward beauty fades and returns. Dharma trains one to endure change without losing inner steadiness and truthfulness (satya) in conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama paints the wintry dawn: fog and dew make the flowerless forest look as if sleeping.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reflectiveness—seeing deeper patterns (time, season, change) rather than reacting only to surface loss.