Shloka 21
दमयन्त्याः अरण्यविहारः — Damayantī’s Passage through the Wilderness
एते गच्छन्ति बहव: पन्थानो दक्षिणापथम् | अवन्तीमृक्षवन्तं च समतिक्रम्य पर्वतम्,'ये बहुत-से मार्ग हैं, जो दक्षिण दिशाकी ओर जाते हैं। यह मार्ग ऋक्षवान् पर्वतको लाँघकर अवन्ती-देशको जाता है
bṛhadaśva uvāca | ete gacchanti bahavaḥ panthāno dakṣiṇāpatham | avantīm ṛkṣavantaṃ ca samatikramya parvatam |
Bṛhadaśva said: “There are many routes that lead toward the southern road. Passing beyond the Ṛkṣavat mountain, they go on to the land of Avanti.”
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes practical guidance: when undertaking a journey, one should know the available routes and landmarks. It reflects the epic’s concern for orderly movement, informed choice, and reliable direction rather than impulsive wandering.
Bṛhadaśva is describing the way southward, noting that multiple paths lead along the Dakṣiṇāpatha and that one reaches Avanti after crossing the Ṛkṣavat mountain.