Shloka 38

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

योजनान्याश्रमात्तात याहि चत्वारि वै ततः।।।।दक्षिणेन महान् श्रीमानगस्त्यभ्रातुराश्रमः।

Transliteration

yojanāny āśramāt tāta yāhi catvāri vai tataḥ | dakṣiṇena mahān śrīmān agastyabhrātur āśramaḥ ||

Translation

Mein Kind, geh von dieser Einsiedelei vier Yojanas weiter; und danach, südlich davon, liegt die große und herrliche Einsiedelei von Agastyas Bruder.

Word by Word

• योजनानि: yojanas
• योजनानि: Karma (कर्म, measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative of measure/परिमाण), बहुवचन

• आश्रमात्: from the hermitage
• आश्रमात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• तात: dear child
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• याहि: go
• याहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (qualifies योजनानि)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kala (काल/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त; 'thereafter/from there' (here: thereafter)

• दक्षिणेन: southwards
• दक्षिणेन: Adhikarana (अधिकरण, direction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental used adverbially), एकवचन; दिशासूचक: 'to the south/southwards'

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of आश्रमः)

• श्रीमान्: splendid
• श्रीमान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of आश्रमः)

• अगस्त्य-भ्रातुः: of Agastya's brother
• अगस्त्य-भ्रातुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य + भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अगस्त्यस्य भ्राता

• आश्रमः: hermitage
• आश्रमः: Karta (कर्ता, of implied 'is')
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

Dear Rama, walk from here a distance of four yojanas. There in the southerly direction stands the great, beautiful hermitage of Agastya's brother.

Characters & Entities

• Sutīkṣṇa
• Rāma
• Agastya
• hermitage (āśrama)

FAQs

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

Dharma is practical support for righteous aims: the sage provides concrete directions so Rāma can properly honor and learn from elders.

What is the narrative situation?

Sutīkṣṇa gives route guidance—distance and direction—toward the hermitage connected with Agastya’s family.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Helpful precision and hospitality in counsel; the forest-dwelling sage assists the dharmic traveler.