Shloka 6

सीता-रावण-संवादः

Sītā–Rāvaṇa Dialogue in the Aśoka Grove

Devanagari script

ततस्तु राजा सिन्धूनां वार्द्धक्षत्रि्महायशा: । विवाहकाम: शाल्वेयान्‌ प्रयात: सो5भवत्‌ तदा,उसी समय सिंधुदेशका महायशस्वी राजा जयद्रथ, जो वृद्धक्षत्रका पुत्र था, विवाहकी इच्छासे शाल्वदेशकी ओर जा रहा था। वह बहुमूल्य राजोचित ठाट-बाटसे सुसज्जित था। अनेक राजाओंके साथ यात्रा करता हुआ वह काम्यकवनमें आ पहुँचा

Transliteration

tatastu rājā sindhūnāṁ vārddhakṣatrir mahāyaśāḥ | vivāhakāmaḥ śālveyān prayātaḥ so 'bhavat tadā ||

Translation

Then the illustrious king of the Sindhus, Jayadratha—son of Vṛddhakṣatri—set out at that time toward the Śālva country, driven by the desire to secure a marriage alliance. His journey, marked by royal splendor and accompanied by other kings, brought him into the Kāmyaka forest—an approach that foreshadows how political ambition and personal desire can intrude upon spaces of austerity and dharma.

Word by Word

• {'tataḥ tu': 'then, however', 'rājā': 'king', 'sindhūnām': 'of the Sindhus

• of the Sindhu country/people', 'vārddhakṣatriḥ': 'son/descendant of Vṛddhakṣatri (patronymic)', 'mahāyaśāḥ': 'of great fame, illustrious', 'vivāha-kāmaḥ': 'desiring marriage

• seeking a bride/marriage alliance', 'śālveyān': 'the Śālvas

• the Śālva country/people (accusative, destination)', 'prayātaḥ': 'set out, departed, proceeded', 'abhavat': "became

• happened (here: 'was/occurred')", 'tadā': 'at that time'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Jayadratha
• Vṛddhakṣatri
• Sindhu (country/people)
• Śālva (country/people)
• Kāmyaka forest

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how kāma (personal desire) and political aims (marriage alliance) motivate royal action; ethically, it sets up a contrast between worldly ambition and the dharmic atmosphere of the forest, preparing the reader to judge subsequent conduct against standards of restraint and righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Jayadratha, the famed king of the Sindhus and son of Vṛddhakṣatri, is traveling toward the Śālva realm seeking marriage; traveling in royal pomp with other kings, he reaches the Kāmyaka forest.