Shloka 21

हेमन्तवर्णनम् तथा भरतधर्मनिष्ठा-चिन्तनम्

Winter Description and Reflection on Bharata’s Devotion

Devanagari script

स्पृशंस्तु विमलं शीतमुदकं द्विरदस्सुखम्।अत्यन्ततृषितो वन्यः प्रतिसंहरते करम्।।।।

Transliteration

spṛśaṃs tu vimalaṃ śītam udakaṃ dviradaḥ sukham |

atyantatṛṣito vanyaḥ pratisaṃharate karam ||

Translation

അതീവ ദാഹിച്ച വന്യ ദ്വിരദൻ നിർമ്മലവും തണുത്തതുമായ ജലം സന്തോഷത്തോടെ സ്പർശിക്കുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ആ ശീതം സഹിക്കാതെ ഉടൻ തന്നെ തുമ്പിക്കൈ പിൻവലിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्पृशन्: touching
• स्पृशन्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• विमलम्: pure
• विमलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; उदकम् इति विशेषण

• शीतम्: cool
• शीतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उदकम् इति विशेषण

• उदकम्: water
• उदकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• द्विरदः: the elephant (tusker)
• द्विरदः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुखम्: pleasantly/with ease
• सुखम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयुक्तं नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• अत्यन्त-तृषितः: extremely thirsty
• अत्यन्त-तृषितः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + तृषित (कृदन्त; √तृष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्तं तृषितः)

• वन्यः: wild
• वन्यः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विरदस्य विशेषण

• प्रतिसंहरते: draws back/withdraws
• प्रतिसंहरते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु) (सम् + प्रति उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• करम्: the trunk/hand
• करम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

The wild tusker, extremely thirsty, touches the clean, cold water joyfully, but immediately withdraws its trunk unable to bear the cold.

Characters & Entities

• elephant (dvirada)
• water (udaka)

FAQs

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

It points to discernment and restraint: even a strong urge (thirst) is moderated by awareness of conditions (the cold). Dharma often requires measured action rather than impulsive satisfaction.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama describes winter’s sharp cold through a vivid observation of an elephant reacting to icy water.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence (viveka): acting with awareness of consequences rather than being driven only by desire.