Shloka 11

विन्ध्यगुहाविचयः — Searching the Vindhya Caves and the Cursed Forest

Southern Search

Devanagari script

न यत्रवृक्षा नौषध्यो न वल्ल्यो नापि वीरुधः।।4.48.10।।स्निग्धपत्रास्स्थले यत्र पद्मिन्यः फुल्लपङ्कजाः।प्रेक्षणीयास्सुगन्धाश्च भ्रमरैश्चापिवर्जिताः।।4.48.11।।

Transliteration

snigdhapatrāḥ sthale yatra padminyaḥ phullapaṅkajāḥ | prekṣaṇīyāḥ sugandhāś ca bhramaraiś cāpi varjitāḥ || 4.48.11 ||

Translation

Dort, auf trockenem Boden, standen Lotosstauden mit glänzenden Blättern und voll erblühten Lotosblüten — anmutig und duftend, doch seltsam ohne Bienen.

Word by Word

• kaṇḍuḥ: Kandu
• kaṇḍuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇḍu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Name marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nāma-nipāta (quotative/name-marker: 'by name')

• mahābhāgaḥ: illustrious
• mahābhāgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: mahān bhāgaḥ yasya (very fortunate/illustrious)

• satyavādī: truthful
• satyavādī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya + vādin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: satyaṃ vadati (truth-speaking)

• tapodhanaḥ: rich in austerity
• tapodhanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tapas + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: tapo dhanaṃ yasya (whose wealth is austerity)

• maharṣiḥ: great sage
• maharṣiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: mahān ṛṣiḥ (great sage)

• paramāmarṣī: highly irascible
• paramāmarṣī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + amarṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: paramaḥ amarṣī (extremely irascible/unyielding)

• niyamaiḥ: by disciplines/vows
• niyamaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Bahuvacana

• duṣpradharṣaṇaḥ: hard to overpower
• duṣpradharṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dus + pra + dharṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'hard to be overpowered/assailed' (difficult-to-attack)

Context

There were no medicinal plants, no vines or creepers spreading on the ground.The lotus creepers on the dry ground had shining leaves,beautiful and fragrant blooms devoid of bees.

Characters & Entities

• Lotus (padma/paṅkaja)
• Bees (bhramara)

FAQs

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

The verse reinforces that when dharmic balance is disturbed (here by a curse), even what appears beautiful can lose its natural harmony—symbolized by flowers without bees.

What is the narrative situation?

The party observes uncanny features of the forest: lotuses bloom on dry land, but the ecosystem is unnaturally silent and empty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentiveness (samādhāna): careful noticing of signs in the environment while pursuing the mission.