Shloka 8

तापसाश्रममण्डलदर्शनम्

Entering Dandaka and Meeting the Sages

Devanagari script

पुण्यैश्च नियताहारैः शोभितं परमर्षिभिः।तद्ब्रह्मभवनप्रख्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम्।।।।

Transliteration

puṇyaiś ca niyatāhāraiḥ śobhitaṃ paramarṣibhiḥ | tad brahmabhavanaprakhyaṃ brahmaghoṣanināditam ||

Translation

പുണ്യവും നിയന്ത്രിതാഹാരവുമുള്ള പരമർഷിമാർകൊണ്ട് ശോഭിച്ച ആ ആശ്രമസമൂഹം ബ്രഹ്മഘോഷങ്ങളുടെ മുഴക്കത്തിൽ മുഴങ്ങിക്കൊണ്ട്, ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ഭവനംപോലെ ദീപ്തമായി തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• puṇyaiḥ: holy
• puṇyaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), बहुवचन; ‘परमर्षिभिः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• niyata-āhāraiḥ: with regulated diet
• niyata-āhāraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √yam धातु, नि-उपसर्ग) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘नियतः आहारः येषाम्’ = regulated-diet (as an epithet)

• śobhitam: adorned, shining
• śobhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhita (कृदन्त; √śubh/√śobh धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय

• paramarṣibhiḥ: by great sages
• paramarṣibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘परमाः ऋषयः’

• tat: that (hermitage)
• tat: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• brahma-bhavana-prakhyam: resembling Brahmā’s abode
• brahma-bhavana-prakhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavana (प्रातिपदिक) + prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्मणः भवनम्’ + ‘प्रख्य’ = resembling Brahmā’s abode

• brahma-ghoṣa-nināditam: echoing with Vedic chant
• brahma-ghoṣa-nināditam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + ghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ninādita (कृदन्त; √nad धातु, नि-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्मघोषेण निनादितम्’

Context

The hermitages echoing with the sounds of Vedic recitations and resembling the very abode of Brahma were adorned with great, holy sages living on regulated diet.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Veda (brahmaghoṣa)
• Āśrama (hermitage settlement)

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as disciplined sacred living—purity, restraint (especially in food and habits), and devotion to Vedic study/recitation as the social-spiritual order sustaining the forest hermitages.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma’s journey moves through the forest region, the text describes the ascetic settlements: sanctified by sages and filled with the sound of Vedic chanting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The sages’ virtue: tapas (austerity) expressed through niyama (self-regulation), especially measured diet and disciplined religious practice.