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Shloka 16

Varṣā-Śarad Vṛndāvana-Śobha: The Beauty of the Rainy and Autumn Seasons in Vraja

मार्गा बभूवु: सन्दिग्धस्तृणैश्छन्ना ह्यसंस्कृता: । नाभ्यस्यमाना: श्रुतयो द्विजै: कालेन चाहता: ॥ १६ ॥

mārgā babhūvuḥ sandigdhās tṛṇaiś channā hy asaṁskṛtāḥ nābhyasyamānāḥ śrutayo dvijaiḥ kālena cāhatāḥ

In the rainy season the roads, left uncleansed, were covered with grass and debris and became hard to discern—like śruti scriptures that brāhmaṇas no longer study, and which time then obscures and corrupts.

मार्गाःpaths, roads
मार्गाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
बभूवुःbecame
बभूवुः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
सन्दिग्धाःindistinct, doubtful (hard to discern)
सन्दिग्धाः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसन्दिग्ध (प्रातिपदिक; from सम्+दिह्/दिग्ध PPP)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; qualifies मार्गाः
तृणैःby grasses
तृणैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतृण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
छन्नाःcovered
छन्नाः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootछद् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; qualifies मार्गाः
हिindeed
हि:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), emphasis/for/indeed
असंस्कृताःuncultivated, unprepared
असंस्कृताः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ (नञ्) + संस्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; PPP of सम्+कृ)
Formनञ्-समास/नकारार्थ (negated), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; qualifies मार्गाः
not
:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध (negation particle)
अभ्यस्यमानाःbeing practiced/recited
अभ्यस्यमानाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootअभि (उपसर्ग) + अस् (धातु; in sense ‘to practice/recite’ = अभ्यास)
Formवर्तमानकालिक कर्मणि शानच् (present passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; agrees with श्रुतयः
श्रुतयःthe Vedas/scriptures
श्रुतयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
द्विजैःby the twice-born (brahmins)
द्विजैः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
कालेनby time
कालेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
and
:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय (conjunction ‘and’)
आहताःstruck down, impaired
आहताः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootआ (उपसर्ग) + हन् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; qualifies श्रुतयः

FAQs

This verse says that when the twice-born do not repeatedly study and live by śruti, time gradually erodes and obscures Vedic understanding—just as neglected paths become covered by grass and hard to discern.

While describing the seasonal changes in Vṛndāvana, Śukadeva draws a moral analogy: neglect leads to loss of clarity—physical roads disappear under grass, and spiritual teachings become unclear without disciplined practice and remembrance.

Maintain steady spiritual “upkeep”: daily reading/hearing of scripture, consistent sādhana, and guidance from qualified teachers—so that dharma stays clear rather than becoming forgotten through neglect.