Shloka 39

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

Devanagari script

नद्यस्समुद्वाहितचक्रवाकास्तटानि शीर्णान्यपवाहयित्वा।दृप्ता नवप्राभृतपूर्णभोगाःद्रुतं स्वभर्तारमुपोपयान्ति।।

Transliteration

nadyaḥ samudvāhitacakravākās taṭāni śīrṇāny apavāhayitvā |

dṛptā navaprābhṛtapūrṇabhogāḥ drutaṃ svabhartāram upopayānti ||

Translation

Die Flüsse, die die Cakravāka-Vögel mit sich führen, reißen ihre zerbröckelten Ufer fort; angeschwollen und stolz, reich an neuen Gaben, eilen sie rasch ihrem Herrn entgegen, dem Meer.

Word by Word

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• समुद्वाहितचक्रवाकाः: carrying chakravāka birds along
• समुद्वाहितचक्रवाकाः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उद् + वह् (धातु) → उद्वाहित (कृदन्त, क्त) + चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with नद्यः

• तटानि: banks
• तटानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• शीर्णानि: broken/crumbled
• शीर्णानि: Karma-anvayi (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; from शीॄ/शॄ ‘to break/decay’ → कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; agrees with तटानि

• अपवाहयित्वा: having carried away
• अपवाहयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप + वह् (धातु) → अपवाहयितुं (णिच्) → अपवाहयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); causative nuance (ṇic)

• दृप्ताः: swollen/proud
• दृप्ताः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप्त (प्रातिपदिक; from दृप् धातु → क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with नद्यः

• नवप्राभृतपूर्णभोगाः: with enjoyment made full by new offerings
• नवप्राभृतपूर्णभोगाः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राभृत (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with नद्यः

• द्रुतम्: swiftly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय; from द्रु ‘to run’ → past form used adverbially)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• स्वभर्तारम्: their own lord (the sea)
• स्वभर्तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उपोपयान्ति: approach
• उपोपयान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + उप + या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Context

'Washing away their broken banks which obstruct their way to the sea, the bloated rivers like proud young ladies with chakravaka birds borne on their surface ,which look like protruberant breasts, rush swiftly to meet their lord, the sea, chosen for full enjoyment with the gifts of flowers.

Characters & Entities

• rivers
• sea
• cakravaka birds

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as moving toward one’s proper end (telos): rivers naturally seek the sea. Likewise, human conduct should flow toward rightful duty and truth, removing obstacles that block ethical progress.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama depicts monsoon-swollen rivers surging seaward, using a vivid human-like metaphor to convey momentum and inevitability.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Goal-directed resolve: the image reinforces Rama’s own dharmic orientation—moving steadily toward the rightful objective (finding Sita and restoring order).