Shloka 4

सुतीक्ष्णाश्रमप्रवेशः

Entry into Sutikshna’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

प्रविष्टस्तु वनं घोरं बहुपुष्पफलद्रुमम्।ददर्शाश्रममेकान्ते चीरमालापरिष्कृतम्।।3.7.4।।

Transliteration

praviṣṭas tu vanaṃ ghoraṃ bahupuṣpaphaladrumam |

dadarśāśramam ekānte cīramālā-pariṣkṛtam || 3.7.4 ||

Translation

ഭയങ്കരമായ, അനവധി പുഷ്പഫലധാരികളായ വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ നിറഞ്ഞ ആ വനത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ച ശേഷം, അവർ ഏകാന്തസ്ഥാനത്ത് ചീരമാലകളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട ഒരു ആശ്രമം കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• प्रविष्टः: having entered
• प्रविष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); sense: 'having entered'

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (निपात) = 'but/indeed'

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• घोरम्: dreadful
• घोरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with वनम्

• बहुपुष्पफलद्रुमम्: having many flower-and-fruit trees
• बहुपुष्पफलद्रुमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + पुष्प + फल + द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: बहु(बहुव्रीह्यर्थे/बहु-) + पुष्प-फल-द्रुम (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समुच्चयार्थक-तत्पुरुषसमास-प्राय); Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with वनम्

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• आश्रमम्: hermitage
• आश्रमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• एकान्ते: in a secluded place
• एकान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial location

• चीरमालापरिष्कृतम्: adorned/arranged with garlands of bark-cloth
• चीरमालापरिष्कृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चीर + माला + परि-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: समास: चीर-माला (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष) + परिष्कृत (क्त-कृदन्त from परि-√कृ); Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; agrees with आश्रमम्

Context

What can be more agonizing for you (than my killing animals). I (therefore) do not foresee our long stay in this hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• forest (vana)
• hermitage (āśrama)
• bark garments (cīra)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the dharmic world of āśramas—spaces ordered by ascetic discipline—signaled by bark-cloth, simplicity, and seclusion.

What is the narrative situation?

The exiled trio reaches a secluded hermitage within a daunting forest, indicating proximity to sages and their protected spiritual domain.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for ascetic life and readiness to seek guidance from the righteous.