Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वनप्रचण्डा मधुपानशौण्डाःप्रियान्विताष्षट्चरणाः प्रह्रृष्टाः।वनेषु मत्ताः पवनानुयात्रांकुर्वन्ति पद्मासनरेणुगौराः।।

Transliteration

vanapracaṇḍā madhupānaśauṇḍāḥ priyānvitāḥ ṣaṭcaraṇāḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ |

vaneṣu mattāḥ pavanānuyātrāṃ kurvanti padmāsanareṇugaurāḥ ||

Translation

En los bosques, las abejas—audaces en su vagar silvestre y diestras en beber la miel—se mueven gozosas con sus parejas; embriagadas, siguen el viento, y sus cuerpos se tornan pálidos por el polen de las copas de loto.

Word by Word

• वन-प्रचण्डाः: fierce/strong in the forest
• वन-प्रचण्डाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रचण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘वने प्रचण्डाः’

• मधु-पान-शौण्डाः: skilled in drinking honey
• मधु-पान-शौण्डाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक) + शौण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘मधुपाने शौण्डाः’ (adept at honey-drinking)

• प्रिया-अन्विताः: accompanied by their mates
• प्रिया-अन्विताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘प्रियाभिः अन्विताः’

• षट्-चरणाः: bees (six-footed ones)
• षट्-चरणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षट् चरणाः यस्य) = ‘bee’

• प्रहृष्टाः: delighted
• प्रहृष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हृष् (हृष् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वनेषु: in the forests
• वनेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• मत्ताः: intoxicated
• मत्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् (मद् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘intoxicated/mad’

• पवन-अनुयात्राम्: following the wind
• पवन-अनुयात्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुयात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पवनस्य अनुयात्रा’

• कुर्वन्ति: do/make/undertake
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पद्म-आसन-रेणु-गौराः: pale with lotus-pollen dust
• पद्म-आसन-रेणु-गौराः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + रेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + गौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पद्मासनरेणुना गौराः’ (whitened by lotus-pollen)

Context

'The butterflies glitter around in the forest fearlessly showing their skill in drinking honey, with their backs turned white with the dust of pollen grains from the lotus cups. They follow the wind along with their loved ones in the forest.

Characters & Entities

• madhu (honey)
• padma (lotus)
• pavana (wind)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

It offers a reflective contrast: nature follows impulse and season, but human dharma requires conscious governance of desire. The scene can prompt restraint and truthfulness about one’s motivations.

What is the narrative situation?

Autumn forest life is depicted—bees, wind, lotus pollen—forming a sensuous background that intensifies Rama’s awareness of separation and longing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indriya-nigraha (sense-control): the implied ideal that distinguishes dharmic human conduct from instinct-driven movement.