Shloka 18

ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः

Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave

Devanagari script

निशाम्य तस्मात् शिंहांश्च तांस्तांश्च मृगपक्ष्णिः।।।।प्रविष्टा हरिशार्दूला बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम्।

Transliteration

niśāmya tasmāt siṃhāṃś ca tāṃs tāṃś ca mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ |

praviṣṭā hariśārdūlā bilaṃ timirasaṃvṛtam ||

Translation

Als sie von drinnen das Brüllen der Löwen und die Rufe mancherlei Tiere und Vögel vernahmen, traten jene tigergleichen Affen in die von Dunkel umhüllte Höhle ein.

Word by Word

• niśāmya: having noticed
• niśāmya: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-śam (शम्/शमुँ धातु ‘to notice, perceive’)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having perceived/observed’

• tasmāt: from that (place)
• tasmāt: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी (अपादान) एकवचन

• siṃhān: lions
• siṃhān: Karma (कर्म/object of niśāmya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (सिंह प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• tān: those (various)
• tān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (distributive: ‘various’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ: beasts and birds
• mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (मृग) + pakṣin (पक्षिन्)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (‘beasts and birds’); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन (object of niśāmya)

• praviṣṭāḥ: entered
• praviṣṭāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (विश् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle used finitely); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘having entered/entered’ (with implied ‘āsan’)

• hari-śārdūlāḥ: monkey-tigers (mighty monkeys)
• hari-śārdūlāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (हरि) + śārdūla (शार्दूल)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘tigers among monkeys’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• bilam: cave
• bilam: Karma (कर्म/object of entering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bila (बिल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• timira-saṃvṛtam: enveloped in darkness
• timira-saṃvṛtam: Karma (कर्म/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: timira (तिमिर) + saṃvṛta (संवृत कृदन्त, √vṛ ‘to cover’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘covered with darkness’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with bilam)

Context

On hearing him, the monkeys entered the cave full of darkness. There was no light of the Moon or the Sun. It was a horripilating experience.

Characters & Entities

• Monkeys (hariśārdūlāḥ)
• Cave (bila)
• Lions (siṃha)
• Beasts (mṛga)
• Birds (pakṣi)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes brave perseverance under threat: they do not retreat merely due to frightening sounds when the mission requires investigation.

What is the narrative situation?

Inside the cave are ominous animal sounds; despite this, the leading monkeys proceed into the darkness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fear-managed courage—advancing while fully aware of danger.