Shloka 3

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

सारसांश्चक्रवाकांश्च नदीपुलिनचारिणः।सरांसि च सपद्मानि युक्तानि जलजैः खगैः।।।।

Transliteration

sārasāṃś cakravākāṃś ca nadīpulinacāriṇaḥ |

सरāṃsi ca sapadmāni yuktāni jalajaiḥ khagaiḥ ||

Translation

അവൻ നദീതീരങ്ങളിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ഹംസങ്ങളെയും ചക്രവാകപ്പക്ഷികളെയും കണ്ടു; കൂടാതെ താമരകൾ നിറഞ്ഞ തടാകങ്ങൾ ജലജന്യ പക്ഷികളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നതും ദർശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सारसान्: cranes (sārasas)
• सारसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• चक्रवाकान्: ruddy geese (cakravākas)
• चक्रवाकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Accusative plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• नदीपुलिनचारिणः: roaming on river-banks
• नदीपुलिनचारिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नदी + पुलिन + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Nominative plural; (नदीपुलिने चारिणः = ‘moving on river-banks’)

• सरांसि: lakes
• सरांसि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc. plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• सपद्मानि: with lotuses
• सपद्मानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc. plural; (सपद्म = ‘with lotuses’)

• युक्तानि: joined/associated
• युक्तानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) > युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Past passive participle, Neuter Nom./Acc. plural

• जलजैः: by/with aquatic (ones)
• जलजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जलज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental plural; (जले जायते = aquatic)

• खगैः: birds
• खगैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental plural

Context

(Watching) the swans and ruddy geese on river banks and lakes full of lotuses, and birds on water and in the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Lakes (sarāṃsi)
• Lotuses (padma)
• Sārasa birds
• Cakravāka birds

FAQs

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

Attunement to harmony in nature supports dharma: the forest is not merely a hardship but a space for restraint and contemplative living.

What is the narrative situation?

A descriptive passage portraying the beauty and life of the forest landscape—river-banks, lotus lakes, and birds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Saumyatā (gentleness) and mindful observation: the exiles’ gaze rests on living beings without aggression.