Shloka 2.80.21

मर्गनिर्माणम् (Roadworks and the Royal Route Prepared for Bharata)

Devanagari script

जाह्नवीं तु समासाद्य विविधद्रुमकाननाम्।शीतलामलपानीयां महामीनसमाकुलाम्।।।।

Transliteration

latāvallīś ca gulmāṃś ca sthāṇūn aśmana eva ca | janāyāṃ cakrire mārgaṃ chindanto vividhān drumān ||

Translation

Cutting down creepers and shrubs, removing stumps and even boulders, and felling various trees, the king’s men made a clear road for the people.

Context

The reached Ganga with its cool and limpid waters abounding in large fishes, its bank lined with groves of various trees.

FAQs

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

Service-oriented dharma: removing obstacles so others may travel safely mirrors the moral duty to reduce harm and enable the community’s well-being.

What is the narrative situation?

Workers physically clear the route—vegetation, stumps, stones, and trees—to make a usable road.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Diligence and seva (service): hard, practical labor undertaken for the benefit of the wider populace.