Shloka 17

स्वयम्प्रभा-विमोचनम् — Svayamprabha Leads the Vanaras Out

Time-Limit Crisis and Counsel

Devanagari script

ततः पुष्पातिभाराग्रान् लताशतसमावृतान्।द्रुमान्वासन्तिकान्दृष्टवा बभूवुर्भयशङ्किताः।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ puṣpātibhārāgrān latāśatasamāvṛtān |

drumān vāsantikān dṛṣṭvā babhūvur bhayaśaṅkitāḥ ||

Translation

Puis, voyant les arbres du printemps dont les cimes ployaient sous le poids d’innombrables fleurs, enlacés de centaines de lianes, ils furent saisis de crainte et d’appréhension.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: अधिकरण (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• पुष्पातिभाराग्रान्: with tops weighed down by many flowers
• पुष्पातिभाराग्रान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (अव्यय) + भार (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (tops heavy with excessive load of flowers); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with द्रुमान्)

• लताशतसमावृतान्: covered with hundreds of creepers
• लताशतसमावृतान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लता (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक) + सम् + आवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (covered by hundreds of creepers); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with द्रुमान्)

• द्रुमान्: trees
• द्रुमान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• वासन्तिकान्: springtime (vernal)
• वासन्तिकान्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with द्रुमान्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having seen'

• बभूवुः: became
• बभूवुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• भयशङ्किताः: fearful/suspicious
• भयशङ्किताः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्कित (कृदन्त; √शङ्क्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (apprehensive with fear); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

Alarmed at the thought (of transgression of time limit), the monkeys kept looking at the tree tops entwined with a hundred oreepers heavily loaded with the flowers of spring.

Characters & Entities

• Vānaras
• Vasanta (spring)

FAQs

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

Truth is revealed through signs: recognizing objective indicators (the season) prevents self-deception and prompts ethical accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

The blooming of spring becomes evidence that much time has passed, triggering fear about Sugrīva’s deadline.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral sensitivity—fear arises not from nature itself but from awareness of neglected obligation.