Shloka 7

पम्पा

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

Devanagari script

नलिनैरपि सञ्छन्ना ह्यत्यर्थशुभदर्शना।सर्पव्यालानुचरिता मृगद्विजसमाकुला।।।।

Transliteration

nalinair api sañchannā hy atyarthaśubhadarśanā | sarpavyālānucaritā mṛgadvijasamākulā ||

Translation

Bien qu’elle soit couverte de lotus et d’une beauté extrême à contempler, elle est aussi fréquentée par de farouches serpents, et remplie de bêtes et d’oiseaux.

Word by Word

• नलिनैः: with lotuses
• नलिनैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'with lotuses'

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); 'even/also'

• सञ्छन्ना: covered
• सञ्छन्ना: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छद् (धातु) + सञ्- (उपसर्ग) → सञ्छन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'covered'

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle); 'indeed'

• अत्यर्थ-शुभ-दर्शना: extremely beautiful-looking
• अत्यर्थ-शुभ-दर्शना: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यर्थ (अव्यय) + शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) → दर्शना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शुभं दर्शनं यस्याः/या); 'very beautiful to behold'

• सर्प-व्याल-अनुचरिता: frequented by serpents and fierce creatures
• सर्प-व्याल-अनुचरिता: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याल (प्रातिपदिक) + अनु-चर् (धातु) → अनुचरित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्पव्यालैः अनुचरिता = frequented by serpents and wild beasts)

• मृग-द्विज-समाकुला: abounding in animals and birds
• मृग-द्विज-समाकुला: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मृगैः द्विजैः च समाकुला); 'crowded with beasts and birds'

Context

Abounding in lotuses, birds and beasts and vicious serpents moving about, it looks splendid indeed.

Characters & Entities

• Pampā (implied context)
• lotuses (nalina)
• serpents (sarpa)
• beasts (mṛga)
• birds (dvija)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as truthful perception (satya) and discernment: beauty and danger coexist in the world, and a dharmic person observes reality as it is—without denial—so that conduct can remain prudent and responsible.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama and Lakshmana are moving through the Pampā region in Kishkindhā while searching for Sītā; Rama describes the landscape and its living creatures.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s steadiness and clarity of observation: even amid grief, he describes nature precisely, balancing appreciation of beauty with awareness of risk.