Shloka 21

पश्चिमदिशि अन्वेषणादेशः

Instructions for the Western Search Party

Devanagari script

पावकार्चिः प्रतीकाशास्समवेतास्सहस्रशः।।4.42.21।।नात्यासादयितव्यास्ते वानरैर्भीमविक्रमैः।

Transliteration

pāvakārciḥ pratīkāśāḥ samavetāḥ sahasraśaḥ |

nātyāsādayitavyās te vānarair bhīmavikramaiḥ ||

Translation

Rassemblés là par milliers et rayonnant d’un éclat semblable au feu, il ne faut pas les approcher de trop près, même par des singes au courage redoutable.

Word by Word

• pāvakārciḥ: having flames like fire
• pāvakārciḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक) + arciṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: pāvaka-arciṣ (‘fire-flamed’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pratīkāśāḥ: appearing like
• pratīkāśāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratīkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• samavetāḥ: assembled
• samavetāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samaveta (कृदन्त; sam-ava-√i/√et?; from √i (इ) with समवेत ‘assembled’)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sahasraśaḥ: in thousands
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (परिमाणवाचक अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध निपात)

• ati: too much/very
• ati: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: Preverb/indeclinable (उपसर्ग), intensifier ‘too much’

• āsādayitavyāḥ: to be approached
• āsādayitavyāḥ: Vidhi (विधि/आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √sad (सद्)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); with na+ati: ‘should not be approached too closely’

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vānaraiḥ: by monkeys
• vānaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhīmavikramaiḥ: by the fearsome-valiant
• bhīmavikramaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound: bhīma-vikrama (‘terrible in valor’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

'Collected together in thousands, and radiating like fire, they live there. Even the very brave vanaras should not go close to them.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Vānaras (monkey warriors)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes restraint and respect for boundaries: valor is not proved by needless confrontation, but by controlled conduct aligned with the mission.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugriva warns the search party about a powerful Gandharva region on the western route.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance—strength guided by discretion.