Shloka 21

पश्चिमदिशि अन्वेषणादेशः

Instructions for the Western Search Party

Devanagari script

पावकार्चिः प्रतीकाशास्समवेतास्सहस्रशः।।4.42.21।।नात्यासादयितव्यास्ते वानरैर्भीमविक्रमैः।

Transliteration

pāvakārciḥ pratīkāśāḥ samavetāḥ sahasraśaḥ |

nātyāsādayitavyās te vānarair bhīmavikramaiḥ ||

Translation

Dort zu Tausenden versammelt und von feuergleichem Glanz umstrahlt, sollen sie nicht zu nahe angegangen werden—selbst nicht von Affen von furchterregender Tapferkeit.

Word by Word

• pāvakārciḥ: having flames like fire
• pāvakārciḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक) + arciṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: pāvaka-arciṣ (‘fire-flamed’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pratīkāśāḥ: appearing like
• pratīkāśāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratīkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• samavetāḥ: assembled
• samavetāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samaveta (कृदन्त; sam-ava-√i/√et?; from √i (इ) with समवेत ‘assembled’)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sahasraśaḥ: in thousands
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (परिमाणवाचक अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• ati: too much/very
• ati: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: Preverb/indeclinable (उपसर्ग), intensifier ‘too much’

• āsādayitavyāḥ: to be approached
• āsādayitavyāḥ: Vidhi (विधि/आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √sad (सद्)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); with na+ati: ‘should not be approached too closely’

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vānaraiḥ: by monkeys
• vānaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhīmavikramaiḥ: by the fearsome-valiant
• bhīmavikramaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound: bhīma-vikrama (‘terrible in valor’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

'Collected together in thousands, and radiating like fire, they live there. Even the very brave vanaras should not go close to them.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Vānaras (monkey warriors)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes restraint and respect for boundaries: valor is not proved by needless confrontation, but by controlled conduct aligned with the mission.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugriva warns the search party about a powerful Gandharva region on the western route.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance—strength guided by discretion.