Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 50, Shloka 16

गङ्गादर्शनम् तथा गुहसमागमः

Vision of the Gaṅgā and Meeting with Guha

Devanagari script

जलाघाताट्टहासोग्रां फेननिर्मलहासिनीम्।क्वचिद्वेणीकृतजलां क्वचिदावर्तशोभिताम्।।2.50.16।।

Transliteration

jalāghātāṭṭahāsogrāṁ phena-nirmala-hāsinīm |

kvacid veṇī-kṛta-jalāṁ kvacid āvarta-śobhitām || 2.50.16 ||

Translation

Hantaman airnya bagaikan tawa dahsyat yang menggelegar; buihnya laksana senyum bening yang bercahaya. Di suatu tempat arusnya lurus seperti kepang seorang gadis, dan di tempat lain ia berkilau, berhias pusaran-pusaran.

Word by Word

• deva-ākrīḍa-śata-ākīrṇām: filled with hundreds of divine play-grounds
• deva-ākrīḍa-śata-ākīrṇām: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of Gaṅgā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + ākrīḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + ākīrṇa (कृदन्त; ā+√kīr, kta)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā singular; tatpurusha: 'devasya ākrīḍāḥ (krīḍāsthānāni) śatena ākīrṇā' (filled with hundreds of divine sporting-places)

• deva-udyāna-śata-āyutām: having countless divine gardens
• deva-udyāna-śata-āyutām: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + udyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + āyuta (प्रातिपदिक 'ten-thousand', used for 'multitude')
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā singular; tatpurusha: 'deva-udyānānāṃ śatāyutaiḥ (very many hundreds) yuktā' (having innumerable divine gardens)

• deva-artham: for the sake of the gods
• deva-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) (purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially: 'for the sake of the gods'

• ākāśa-gamām: moving through the sky (heaven-flowing)
• ākāśa-gamām: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + gamā (प्रातिपदिक from √gam; feminine 'goer/going')
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā singular; tatpurusha: 'ākāśe gacchatīti' (moving through the sky/heaven)

• vikhyātām: well-known
• vikhyātām: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-khyāta (कृदन्त; vi+√khyā 'to be renowned', kta)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā singular; kta participle

• deva-padminīm: Devapadminī (the celestial lotus-bearing one)
• deva-padminīm: Karma (कर्म) (appositional object/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + padminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā singular; karmadhāraya: 'divyā padminī' / proper epithet-name of Gaṅgā

Context

Not yet satisfied (they wanted to linger longer), they stood weeping, while Rama went out of sight just as the Sun disappears at nightfall.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā

FAQs

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

Dharma is hinted through the symbolism of purity and life-giving flow: the river’s beauty and power invite reverence rather than exploitation.

What is the narrative situation?

A vivid sensory description of Gaṅgā’s movement—straight currents and swirling eddies—continues the journey-scene.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentiveness and reverent perception (seeing nature as sacred), a virtue aligned with satya (truthful seeing) and dharma.