Shloka 35

पम्पा

तीर-वर्णनम् / Rama’s Lament at Pampa and the Approach to Rishyamuka

Devanagari script

मां ह्यद्य मृगशाबाक्षी चिन्ताशोकबलात्कृतम्।सन्तापयति सौमित्रे क्रूरश्चैत्रवनानिलः।।।।

Transliteration

māṃ hy adya mṛgaśābākṣī cintā-śoka-balāt-kṛtam |

santāpayati saumitre krūraś caitra-vanānilaḥ ||

Translation

Aujourd’hui, ô Saumitri, moi—rendu impuissant par la force de l’inquiétude et du chagrin pour ma bien-aimée aux yeux de faon—je suis tourmenté par le vent cruel qui traverse les forêts de Caitra.

Word by Word

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• hi: indeed
• hi: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; time adverb (कालवाचक)

• mṛgaśāba-akṣī: the fawn-eyed one (Sita)
• mṛgaśāba-akṣī: Karta (कर्ता) (understood: 'she')
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛgaśāba (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: mṛgaśābasya iva akṣī yasyāḥ sā

• cintā-śoka-balāt: from the force of anxiety and grief
• cintā-śoka-balāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक) + śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग/puṃliṅga (bala), Pañcamī (पञ्चमी/5th, ablative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: cintā-śokayoḥ balāt (from the force of anxiety and grief)

• kṛtam: made/caused (in me)
• kṛtam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ (धातु) PPP)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; PPP used adjectivally qualifying mām (me made/affected)

• santāpayati: torments, heats
• santāpayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√tap (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• saumitre: O Saumitri
• saumitre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• krūraḥ: cruel, harsh
• krūraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of caitravanānilaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• caitra-vana-anilaḥ: the spring-forest breeze
• caitra-vana-anilaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caitra (प्रातिपदिक) + vana (प्रातिपदिक) + anila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: caitrasya vanasya anilaḥ (breeze of the spring forest)

Context

'O Saumitri! the cruel breeze of the spring forest torments me as I am now immersed in grief in the absence of my fawn-eyed beloved.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana (Saumitri)
• Sita (mṛgaśābākṣī, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is endurance with truthfulness: Rāma does not disguise pain with indulgence; he bears it and names it honestly, keeping his purpose—Sītā’s recovery—morally centered.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, traveling with Lakṣmaṇa near Pampā in springtime, experiences nature’s breeze as aggravating because it reminds him of conjugal life now denied by adharma (abduction).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Emotional honesty and perseverance: he admits torment yet continues the quest, showing resilience under distress.