Shloka 50

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

Devanagari script

शीघ्रप्रवेगा विपुलाः प्रपाताःनिर्धौतशृङ्गोपतला गिरीणाम्।मुक्ताकलापप्रतिमाः पतन्तोमहागुहोत्सङ्गतलैर्ध्रियन्ते।।

Transliteration

śīghra-pravegā vipulāḥ prapātāḥ nirdhauta-śṛṅgopatalā girīṇām | muktā-kalāpa-pratimāḥ patanto mahā-guhotsaṅga-talair dhriyante ||

Translation

വേഗത്തിൽ പാഞ്ഞൊഴുകുന്ന വിശാല ജലപാതങ്ങൾ പർവ്വതശിഖരങ്ങളുടെ ചുറ്റുമുള്ള ചരിവുകളെ കഴുകി നിർമലമാക്കുന്നു; മുക്താമാലകളെപ്പോലെ പതിക്കുന്ന ധാരകൾ മഹാഗുഹകളുടെ അങ്കംപോലെയുള്ള തറകളിൽ ചേരുകയും അവിടെ താങ്ങപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शीघ्रप्रवेगाः: of swift speed
• शीघ्रप्रवेगाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीघ्र + प्रवेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—शीघ्रः प्रवेगः येषां ते

• विपुलाः: large
• विपुलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रपाताः: waterfalls
• प्रपाताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निर्धौतशृङ्गोपतलाः: washing/cleansing the bases of peaks
• निर्धौतशृङ्गोपतलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्धौत + शृङ्ग + उपतल (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘निर्धौत’ = निर् + धौत (धौ धातु, क्त); समासः—शृङ्गस्य उपतलम् (base/side of peak) निर्धौतं यैः ते

• गिरीणाम्: of the mountains
• गिरीणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• मुक्ताकलापप्रतिमाः: resembling pearl-strings
• मुक्ताकलापप्रतिमाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ताकलाप + प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—मुक्ताकलापस्य प्रतिमाः (resembling strings of pearls)

• पतन्तः: falling
• पतन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (पत् धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle)

• महागुहोत्सङ्गतलैः: by the ledge-surfaces of great caves
• महागुहोत्सङ्गतलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + गुहा + उत्सङ्ग + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (context: ‘by the surfaces’), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—महागुहायाः उत्सङ्गतलानि (laps/shelves of great caves)

• ध्रियन्ते: are held, are caught/collected
• ध्रियन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धृ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि अर्थः ‘are held/collected’

Context

'The fast flow of waterfalls spread over vast areas completely wash the surroundings of the mountain peaks. It appears like chains of pearls collected in the lap of huge caves.

Characters & Entities

• Mountains (giri)
• Caves (guhā)

FAQs

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

It suggests containment and channeling: powerful flows become beneficial when ‘held’ in proper basins—like strength guided by discipline and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

The monsoon’s waterfalls are described as cleansing peaks and collecting in cavern hollows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline (niyama): force is not denied but directed into stable forms.