Shloka 21

शबरी-आश्रम-प्रवेशः

Rama and Lakshmana at Sabari’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

पश्य मेघघनप्रख्यं मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम्।मतङ्गवनमित्येव विश्रुतं रघुनन्दन।।।।।

Transliteration

paśya megha-ghana-prakhyaṃ mṛga-pakṣi-samākulam | mataṅga-vanam ity eva viśrutaṃ raghunandana ||

Translation

Sieh, o Wonne des Raghu-Geschlechts: dieser Hain, dunkel wie eine dichte Wolke und erfüllt von Wild und Vögeln, ist berühmt als der Matanga-Wald.

Word by Word

• पश्य: see; behold
• पश्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• मेघघनप्रख्यम्: resembling a dense cloud
• मेघघनप्रख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ-घन-प्रख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम्: crowded with deer and birds
• मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग-पक्षि-समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• मतङ्गवनम्: the Matanga forest
• मतङ्गवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मतङ्ग-वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus; called
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थे (quotative particle)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• विश्रुतम्: well-known; renowned
• विश्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√श्रु (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• रघुनन्दन: O delight of the Raghus
• रघुनन्दन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु-नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

O delight of the Raghus! see this garden looking like the dense cloud. Full of animals and birds, it is popularly known as Matanga garden.

Characters & Entities

• Śabarī
• Rama (Raghunandana)
• animals
• birds

FAQs

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

Reverence for sacred geography: dharma includes recognizing and honoring places sanctified by sages and spiritual practice.

What is the narrative situation?

Śabarī identifies and describes the famed Matanga forest to Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śabarī’s guidance and remembrance of sacred tradition (smṛti) associated with the place.