Valmiki Ramayana 2.95.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 95, Shloka 18

मन्दाकिनीनदीदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Mandākinī at Citrakūṭa

Devanagari script

इमांहि रम्यां मृगयूथशालिनीं निपीततोयां गजसिंहवानरैः।सुपुष्पितां पुष्पभरैरलङ्कृतां नसोऽस्ति य स्स्यान्न गतक्लम स्सुखी।।।।

Transliteration

imāṃ hi ramyāṃ mṛgayūthaśālinīṃ nipītatoyāṃ gajasiṃhavānaraiḥ | supuṣpitāṃ puṣpabharair alaṅkṛtāṃ na so 'sti yaḥ syān na gataklamaḥ sukhī ||

Translation

Wie bezaubernd ist die Mandākinī: erfüllt von Hirschherden; ihr Wasser trinken Elefanten, Löwen und Affen; geschmückt mit Massen herabgefallener Blüten von Bäumen in voller Blüte. Wer könnte sie schauen und nicht froh werden, da die Müdigkeit weicht?

Word by Word

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; विशेषण

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• रम्याम्: lovely
• रम्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; विशेषण

• मृगयूथशालिनीम्: abounding in herds of deer
• मृगयूथशालिनीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग + यूथ + शालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृगयूथानां शालिनी/abounding in herds of deer)

• निपीततोयाम्: whose water is drunk
• निपीततोयाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + पी (धातु) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; क्त-कृदन्त ‘निपीत’ (drunk) + तोय; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘निपीतं तोयं यस्याः/whose water is drunk’

• गजसिंहवानरैः: by elephants, lions, and monkeys
• गजसिंहवानरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent group drinking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + सिंह + वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (elephants, lions, and monkeys)

• सुपुष्पिताम्: in full bloom
• सुपुष्पिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पुष्पित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; क्त-कृदन्त/विशेषण ‘well-flowered, in full bloom’

• पुष्पभरैः: with masses of flowers
• पुष्पभरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + भर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुष्पाणां भरैः/with masses of flowers)

• अलङ्कृताम्: adorned
• अलङ्कृताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलम् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति; क्त-कृदन्त (past participle) ‘adorned’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• सः: that (person)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• गतक्लमः: with fatigue gone
• गतक्लमः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective of ‘yaḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (गम्-धातु, क्त) + क्लम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुव्रीहि (यस्मात् क्लमः गतः/whose fatigue has gone)

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective of ‘yaḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण

Context

Rama, the perpetuator of the Raghu dynasty, describing the river Mandakini at length appropriately in this manner, wandered in the company of his beloved consort on mount Chitrakuta looking black like collyrium.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē pañcanavatitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the ninetyfifth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Mandākinī
• deer
• elephants
• lions
• monkeys

FAQs

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

Dharma here is mental poise: by appreciating what is pure and life-giving, one overcomes fatigue and grief without violating truth or duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma praises the Mandākinī’s beauty and abundance, suggesting that such a place naturally restores the spirit of those living in exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Optimism rooted in discipline—Rāma’s ability to draw strength from the environment and guide Sītā toward the same.