Ramayana — Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 11

Saptajana-āśrama Darśana and the Approach to Kiṣkindhā

Hermitage of Seven Sages; March toward Vāli’s Capital

Devanagari script

मत्तान्गिरितटोत्कृष्टान्पर्वतानिव जङ्गमान्।वारणान्वारिदप्रख्यान्महीरेणुसमुक्षितान्।।

Transliteration

mattān giritaṭotkṛṣṭān parvatān iva jaṅgamān | vāraṇān vāridaprakhyān mahīreṇusamukṣitān || 4.13.11 ||

Translation

അവർ മദോന്മത്തമായ ആനകളെ കണ്ടു—പർവ്വതത്തട്ടുകളിൽ തള്ളിക്കയറുന്നവ, സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന പർവ്വതങ്ങൾപോലെ; മഴമേഘങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ കറുത്തും ഭൂമിയുടെ പൊടിയിൽ പൊതിഞ്ഞും।

Word by Word

• मत्तान्: intoxicated
• मत्तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• गिरितटोत्कृष्टान्: towering on mountain-slopes / prominent on mountain-sides
• गिरितटोत्कृष्टान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि-तट-उत्कृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √कृष्/√कर्ष्? here 'उत्कृष्ट' as adjective 'excellent/raised')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• पर्वतान्: mountains
• पर्वतान्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• जङ्गमान्: moving
• जङ्गमान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• वारणान्: elephants
• वारणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वारिदप्रख्यान्: resembling rain-clouds
• वारिदप्रख्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारिद-प्रख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महीरेणुसमुक्षितान्: covered with earth-dust
• महीरेणुसमुक्षितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मही-रेणु-समुक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √उक्ष् (धातु) + क्त, with उपसर्ग सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used adjectivally

Context

(Observing) intoxicated elephants knocking the edges of mountain slopes, elephants resembling (dark) rain-bearing clouds, elephants like moving mountains, elephants with dust covered all over the body.

Characters & Entities

• Elephants (vāraṇa)
• Mountain slopes (giri-taṭa)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is ecological realism: the epic acknowledges forces larger than humans; wise action respects such power and proceeds with discernment rather than arrogance.

What is the narrative situation?

A vivid poetic description of elephants encountered during the swift progress through the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prājñatā (practical wisdom): recognizing danger-signs (rut, terrain) while continuing the mission.