Shloka 14

षट्पञ्चाशः सर्गः — वैदेही-आश्वासनम् तथा अरिष्टारोहणम्

Consoling Sita and Ascending Mount Arishta

Devanagari script

वेपमानमिव श्यामैः कम्पमानैश्शरद्वनैः।वेणुभिर्मारुतोद्धूतैः कूजन्तमिव कीचकैः।।।।

Transliteration

vepamānam iva śyāmaiḥ kampamānaiś śarad-vanaiḥ |

veṇubhir mārutoddhūtaiḥ kūjantam iva kīcakaiḥ ||

Translation

ഇരുണ്ടും കുലുങ്ങുന്നതുമായ ശരദ്കാല മേഘങ്ങളാൽ പർവ്വതം വിറയ്ക്കുന്നതുപോലെ തോന്നി; കാറ്റിൽ ആടുന്ന വേണുക്കൾ—കീചകങ്ങൾപോലെ കൂകിക്കൊണ്ട്—അതിനെ ജീവന്തമായ മധുരധ്വനിയാൽ മുഴക്കുന്നതുപോലെയും തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• vepamānam: as if trembling
• vepamānam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; upamā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vepamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vep (धातु) शानच्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; present participle ‘trembling’ (upamā)

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, simile particle

• śyāmaiḥ: dark
• śyāmaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agrees with śaradvanaiḥ

• kampamānaiḥ: shaking
• kampamānaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kampamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kamp (धातु) शानच्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agrees with śaradvanaiḥ

• śaradvanaiḥ: with autumnal forests
• śaradvanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrumental description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarad-vana (प्रातिपदिक; śarad + vana)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘autumn-forests/thickets’ (or ‘autumnal groves’)

• veṇubhiḥ: with bamboos
• veṇubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• māruta: wind
• māruta: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māruta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, (in compound) stem-form

• uddhūtaiḥ: wind-tossed
• uddhūtaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uddhūta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ud-√dhū (धातु) क्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agrees with veṇubhiḥ; ‘blown/shaken up’

• kūjantam: as if sounding/warbling
• kūjantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण; upamā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kūjant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kūj (धातु) शतृ)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; present active participle ‘cooing/sounding’ (upamā)

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, simile particle

• kīcakaiḥ: by hollow bamboos
• kīcakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; hollow bamboos/reeds

Context

The mountain appeared as if trembling with the dark clouds of autumn. The shrill sounds pasing through the hollow bamboos filled with air appeared as if it was producing sweet musical notes.

Characters & Entities

• māruta (wind)
• veṇu (bamboo)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes inner steadiness amid movement and change. The trembling mountain imagery, paired with harmonious sound, suggests that even amid disturbance one can retain order—an ethical ideal reflected in disciplined action.

What is the narrative situation?

A poetic interlude describing the landscape’s motion and sound as the story transitions within Sundarakāṇḍa 56.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure (śama) suggested by turning natural agitation into ‘music’—a metaphor for transforming adversity into purposeful harmony.