Shloka 3
विन्ध्यगुहाविचयः — Searching the Vindhya Caves and the Cursed Forest
Southern Search
Devanagari script
स तु दूरमुपागम्य सर्वैस्तै: कपिसत्तमैः।विचिनोति स्म विन्ध्यस्य गुहाश्च गहनानि च।।4.48.2।।पर्वताग्रान्नदीदुर्गान्सरांसि विपुलान्द्रुमान्।वृक्षषण्डांश्च विविधान्पर्वतान्घनपादपान्।।4.48.3।।
Transliteration
parvatāgrān nadīdurgān sarāṁsi vipulān drumān |
vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāṁś ca vividhān parvatān ghanapādapān ||4.48.3||
Translation
Sie durchsuchten Berggipfel, von Flüssen geschützte Festungen, Seen, mächtige Bäume, mancherlei Hain- und Waldgruppen sowie Berge, dicht von Wald bedeckt.
Word by Word
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (Singular)
tubut/indeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; nipāta (particle), contrast/emphasis
dūramfar (to a distance)
dūram:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense as adverb)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdūra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormKriyāviśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverbial accusative)
upāgamyahaving gone/approached
upāgamya:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Non-finite verb)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-√gam (गम् धातु)
FormKtvā-pratyaya (absolutive/gerund), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action): "having approached/gone"
sarvaiḥwith all
sarvaiḥ:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Instrumental of accompaniment)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
taiḥwith those
taiḥ:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक/with them)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
kapisattamaiḥwith the best of monkeys
kapisattamaiḥ:
Sahakāraka (सहकारक/Instrumental of accompaniment)
TypeNoun
Rootkapi + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental, 3rd), Bahuvacana (Plural); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: kapiṇāṃ sattamāḥ (best among monkeys)
vicinotisearches/examines
vicinoti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-√ci (चि धातु, 'to search/collect')
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada
smaindeed/used to (past narration)
sma:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsma (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; smā-nipāta indicating past narrative/continuative sense with present form
vindhyasyaof the Vindhya (mountain)
vindhyasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootvindhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive, 6th), Ekavacana (Singular)
guhāḥcaves
guhāḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootguhā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga (Feminine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; samuccaya (conjunction)
gahanānithickets/impassable places
gahanāni:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootgahana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; samuccaya (conjunction)
parvatāgrānmountain peaks
parvatāgrān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootparvata + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: parvatānām agrāṇi (mountain-peaks)
nadīdurgānriver-forts/river-gorges
nadīdurgān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootnadī + durga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); tatpuruṣa: nadībhiḥ durgāṇi / nadī-sambandhi durgāṇi (river-forts/inaccessible river-gorges)
sarāṃsilakes/ponds
sarāṃsi:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसakaliṅga (Neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
vipulānvast/huge
vipulān:
Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootvipula (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); viśeṣaṇa of drumān
drumāntrees
drumān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootdruma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
vṛkṣaṣaṇḍāngroves/clusters of trees
vṛkṣaṣaṇḍān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootvṛkṣa + ṣaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: vṛkṣāṇāṃ ṣaṇḍāḥ (clusters of trees)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; samuccaya (conjunction)
vividhānvarious
vividhān:
Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootvividha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); viśeṣaṇa of parvatān/ghnapādapān etc. (enumerative)
parvatānmountains
parvatān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootparvata (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)
ghanapādapāndense trees
ghanapādapān:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootghana + pādapa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (Masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative, 2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural); karmadhāraya: ghanāḥ pādapāḥ (dense trees)
Context
He went a long distance with other heroic monkeys, searching in the impenetrable caves of Vindhya mountain. They combed interior places, mountain peaks, fortresses surrounded by rivers, lakes, extensive groves of trees, bushes and thickets.
Characters & Entities
V
VindhyaFAQs
It highlights niṣṭhā (steadfast commitment) and kartavya (duty): the vānaras persist through difficult landscapes to fulfill their truthful pledge to help in the search.
Their exhaustive search demonstrates fidelity to their word—satya is upheld not only by speech but by sustained action that matches the promise made to their allies.