Shloka 52

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

एतच्च वनमध्यस्थं कृष्णाभ्रशिखरोपमम्।।।।पावकस्याश्रमस्थस्य धूमाग्रं सम्प्रदृश्यते।

Transliteration

etac ca vanamadhyasthaṃ kṛṣṇābhra-śikharopamam ||

pāvakasyāśrama-sthasya dhūmāgraṃ sampradṛśyate |

Translation

അവിടെ നോക്കൂ—വനത്തിന്റെ നടുവിൽ, കൃഷ്ണമേഘശിഖരംപോലെ, ആശ്രമത്തിലെ പാവകത്തിൽ നിന്നുയരുന്ന ധൂമശിഖരം വ്യക്തമായി കാണപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• वनमध्यस्थम्: situated in the forest-middle
• वनमध्यस्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन+मध्य+स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (वनस्य मध्ये स्थितम्)

• कृष्णाभ्रशिखरोपमम्: like a dark-cloud peak
• कृष्णाभ्रशिखरोपमम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण+अभ्र+शिखर+उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (कृष्णाभ्रस्य शिखरस्य उपमम् = like the peak of a dark cloud)

• पावकस्य: of the fire
• पावकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• आश्रमस्थस्य: stationed at the hermitage
• आश्रमस्थस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आश्रम+स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (आश्रमेषु स्थितस्य)

• धूमाग्रम्: smoke-tip, plume of smoke
• धूमाग्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम+अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धूमस्य अग्रं = tip/column of smoke)

• सम्प्रदृश्यते: is seen, appears
• सम्प्रदृश्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is seen/appears)

Context

In the middle of the forest can be seen like the tip of the dark clouds columns of smoke coming out of the top of hermitages.

Characters & Entities

• hermitage (āśrama)
• fire (pāvaka)
• smoke (dhūma)

FAQs

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

Honor to tapas and sacred duty: the maintained fire signifies continual discipline and ritual responsibility, a dharmic center within the wilderness.

What is the narrative situation?

They visually confirm the presence of an ashram by seeing smoke rising from a maintained fire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Purposeful discernment—identifying a righteous refuge and approaching it properly.