Shloka 1.51.23

शतानन्दोपदेशः — Śatānanda’s Welcome to Rāma and the Prelude to Viśvāmitra’s History

Devanagari script

नगराणि सराष्ट्राणि सरितश्च तथा गिरीन्।आश्रमान्क्रमशो राम विचरन्नाजगाम ह।।1.51.22।।वसिष्ठस्याश्रमपदं नानावृक्षसमाकुलम्।नानामृगगणाकीर्णं सिद्धचारणसेवितम्।।1.51.23।।देवदानवगन्धर्वै: किन्नरैरुपशोभितम्।प्रशान्तहरिणाकीर्णं द्विजसङ्घनिषेवितम्।।1.51.24।।ब्रह्मर्षिगणसङ्कीर्णं देवर्षिगणसेवितम्।तपश्चरणसंसिद्धैरग्निकल्पैर्महात्मभि:।।1.51.25।।अब्भक्षैर्वायुभक्षैश्च शीर्णपर्णाशनैस्तथा।फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैर्जितरोषैर्जितेन्द्रियै:।।1.51.26।।ऋषिभिर्वालखिल्यैश्च जपहोमपरायणै:।अन्यैर्वैखानसैश्चैव समन्तादुपशोभितम्।।1.51.27।।

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhasyāśramapadaṃ nānāvṛkṣasamākulam |

nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ siddhacāraṇasevitam ||

Translation

He reached Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage-site, dense with many kinds of trees, filled with herds of diverse animals, and frequented by siddhas and cāraṇas.

Context

Rama while Viswamitra was wandering about kingdoms, cities, rivers, mountains and hermitages, he gradually reached the ashram of Vasishta. That hermitage afounded in a variety of trees, species of animals, siddhas, charanas, devatas, danavas, gandharvas and kinnaras, multitudes of birds and resting deer. It was inhabited by brahmarshis and devarishis, by sages who had attained perfection through austerities, by those resembling fire in brightness, by the magnanimous and the selfrestrained, by those who had conquered anger and controlled their senses, who was devoted to prayers and offerings of libations. Some of them subsisted on water, some on air. Some lived on fallen leaves, some on fruits and roots. The hermitage looked bedecked with valakhilyas (born from Vala of Brahma ) and vaikhanasas (born from the nails of Brahma).

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Āśrama (hermitage)
• Siddhas
• Cāraṇas

FAQs

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

Respect for āśrama-dharma: the hermitage is portrayed as an ordered sacred space where tapas and purity harmonize with nature—an ethical ideal of restraint and non-violence.

What is the narrative situation?

During the journey, the party arrives at Vasiṣṭha’s hermitage, and the narrator begins describing its sanctity and abundance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The ideal of ascetic excellence (tapas) implied by the presence of siddhas and the sanctified environment.