Shloka 27

ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः

Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave

Devanagari script

ततस्तं देशमागम्य सौम्या वितिमिरं वनम्।।4.50.24।।ददृशुः काञ्चनान्वृक्षान्दीप्तवैश्वानरप्रभान्।सालां स्तालांश्च पुन्नागान्ककुभान्वञ्जुलान्धवान्।।4.50.25।।चम्पकान् नागवृक्षांश्च कर्णिकारांश्च पुष्पितान्।स्तबकैः काञ्चनैश्चित्रै रक्तै: किसलयैस्तथा।।4.50.26।।आपीडैश्च लताभिश्च हेमाभरणभूषितान्।तरुणादित्यसङ्काशान्वैढूर्यकृतवेदिकान्।।4.50.27।।विभ्राजमानान्वपुषा पादपांश्च हिरण्मयान्।नीलवैढूर्यवर्णाश्च पद्मिनीः पतगावृताः।।4.50.28।।महद्भि: काञ्चनैः पद्मैर्वृता बालार्कसन्निभैः।

Transliteration

āpīḍaiś ca latābhiś ca hemābharaṇabhūṣitān |

taruṇādityasaṅkāśān vaiḍūryakṛtavedikān ||4.50.27||

Translation

彼らは、絡み合う蔓を冠のようにいただき、黄金の装身具をまとうかのごとく飾られ、若き昇る太陽のように輝く木々を見た。さらに、ヴァイドゥーリヤ（猫目石）で作られた壇と台座もあった。

Word by Word

• आपीडैः: with garlands/crests (wreath-like ornaments)
• आपीडैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपीड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual), तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• लताभिः: with creepers
• लताभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हेमाभरणभूषितान्: adorned with golden ornaments
• हेमाभरणभूषितान्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + आभरण + भूषित (कृदन्त; भूष् धातु)
• Form: समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हेमस्य आभरणम् = golden ornaments) + तेन भूषित; भूषित = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) from √भूष्; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural (qualifying objects seen)

• तरुणादित्यसङ्काशान्: resembling the young/rising sun
• तरुणादित्यसङ्काशान्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरुण + आदित्य + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (तरुणः आदित्यः इव; rising-sun-like) + सङ्काश; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• वैढूर्यकृतवेदिकान्: having platforms/altars made of vaidurya (cat's-eye gem)
• वैढूर्यकृतवेदिकान्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैढूर्य + कृत + वेदिका (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: समासः: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (वैढूर्येण कृताः) + वेदिका; कृत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) from √कृ; वेदिका-शब्देन सह बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः विशेषण-प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

Context

Having reached inside the cave the monkeys saw a forest shining like blazing fire, dispelling the surrounding darkness. There they noticed sala, tala, tamala, punnaga, vanjjula, dhava, champaka, and naga trees. They also saw blossoming plants of Karnikara, bunches of beautiful golden flowers and tender redcoloured leaves.They saw wonderful trees with creepers on top entwining them, and ornamented with gold (like golden fruits), radiant like the dazzling rising Sun. There were altars encrusted with precious sapphire and vaidurya. The golden trees were shining bright. There were lotus creepers looking like sapphire and vaidurya.The ponds were filled with golden lotuses and were surrounded by birds.

Characters & Entities

• vaiḍūrya
• vedikā
• latā

FAQs

How does this verse relate to Dharma and Satya when it is mainly descriptive?

In the Ramayana, truthful narration (satya) includes faithful description of what is witnessed; such precise depiction supports the ethical frame of the epic by grounding later choices in a real, observed context rather than exaggeration or deceit.

What is the ethical significance of the forest being described as adorned and radiant?

The imagery underscores that the world can appear richly endowed, yet Dharma requires discernment: beauty and splendour are not themselves the goal, but a setting in which characters must remain steady in right conduct and truthfulness.