Shloka 3.11.3

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः (Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya)

Devanagari script

सारसांश्चक्रवाकांश्च नदीपुलिनचारिणः।सरांसि च सपद्मानि युक्तानि जलजैः खगैः।।।।

Transliteration

sārasāṃś cakravākāṃś ca nadīpulinacāriṇaḥ |

सरāṃsi ca sapadmāni yuktāni jalajaiḥ khagaiḥ ||

Translation

He beheld saras swans and cakravāka birds roaming along the river-banks, and lotus-filled lakes thronged with water-born birds.

Context

(Watching) the swans and ruddy geese on river banks and lakes full of lotuses, and birds on water and in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• River-banks (nadī-pulina)
• Lakes (sarāṃsi)
• Lotuses (padma)
• Sārasa birds
• Cakravāka birds

FAQs

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

Attunement to harmony in nature supports dharma: the forest is not merely a hardship but a space for restraint and contemplative living.

What is the narrative situation?

A descriptive passage portraying the beauty and life of the forest landscape—river-banks, lotus lakes, and birds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Saumyatā (gentleness) and mindful observation: the exiles’ gaze rests on living beings without aggression.