Valmiki Ramayana 2.95.4 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 95, Shloka 4

मन्दाकिनीनदीदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Mandākinī at Citrakūṭa

Devanagari script

नानाविधैस्तीररुहै र्वृतां पुष्पफलद्रुमैः।राजन्तीं राजराजस्य नलिनीमिव सर्वतः।।।।

Transliteration

nānāvidhais tīraruhair vṛtāṃ puṣpaphaladrumaiḥ | rājantīṃ rājarājasya nalinīm iva sarvataḥ ||

Translation

Sieh, wie sie erglänzt, umkränzt von vielerlei Uferbäumen, beladen mit Blüten und Früchten; überall gleicht sie in ihrer Pracht dem berühmten See Nalinī des Yakṣa-Königs Kubera.

Word by Word

• नाना-विधैः: by various kinds of
• नाना-विधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः; विशेषण (qualifying तीररुहैः/द्रुमैः)

• तीर-रुहैः: by bank-growing (trees)
• तीर-रुहैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक) + रुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bank-growing plants/trees)

• वृताम्: surrounded
• वृताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying नदीम् understood)

• पुष्प-फल-द्रुमैः: by flower-and-fruit trees
• पुष्प-फल-द्रुमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (trees with flowers and fruits / flower-and-fruit trees)

• राजन्तीम्: shining
• राजन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (shining)

• राज-राजस्य: of the king of kings (Kubera)
• राज-राजस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (कुबेर-नाम)

• नलिनीम्: Nalini (lake)
• नलिनीम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नलिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमानसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• सर्वतः: everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides)

Context

See this river sparkling with trees of every kind laden with fruits and flowers growing on its banks. Everywhere it resembles the lake Nalini of Kubera.

Characters & Entities

• Mandākinī
• Kubera (Rājarāja)
• Nalinī (lake)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as contentment and reverence: even while renouncing royal life, Rāma recognizes abundance in nature without possessiveness, aligning joy with simplicity and truthfulness to one’s chosen duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues describing the Mandākinī’s banks and compares its beauty to the celestial lake Nalinī associated with Kubera.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Santoṣa (contentment) and refined perception—Rāma’s ability to find dignity and richness in forest life.