Shloka 5

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं लम्बमाने दिवाकरे।ददृशुस्सहिता रम्यं तटाकं योजनायतम्।।।।पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधं गजयूथैरलङ्कृतम्।सारसैर्हंसकादम्बैस्सङ्कुलं जलचारिभिः।।।।

Transliteration

te gatvā dūram adhvānaṃ lambamāne divākare |

dadṛśuḥ sahitā ramyaṃ taṭākaṃ yojanāyatam ||

padma-puṣkara-sambādhaṃ gaja-yūthair alaṅkṛtam |

sārasair haṃsa-kādambaiḥ saṅkulaṃ jala-cāribhiḥ ||

Translation

ते सर्वजण दूरचा प्रवास करून, सूर्य मावळतीला झुकत असताना, एक रम्य तळे पाहू लागले—जे एक योजन लांब पसरलेले, पद्म-पुष्करांनी दाटलेले, हत्तींच्या कळपांनी अलंकृत, आणि सारस, हंस, कादंब इत्यादी जलचर पक्ष्यांनी गजबजलेले होते॥

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Pronoun, Masculine Nominative plural

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) > गत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• दूरम्: far
• दूरम्: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adverbially; Neuter Accusative singular

• अध्वानम्: a journey/path
• अध्वानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Masculine Accusative singular

• लम्बमाने: while setting/declining
• लम्बमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब् (धातु) > लम्बमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, आत्मनेपद-शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Masculine Locative singular; ‘while (it) was hanging/declining’

• दिवाकरे: in the sun (as it set)
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Masculine Locative singular; (दिवा-कर = ‘day-maker’, sun)

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Perfect, 3rd person plural

• सहिताः: together/assembled
• सहिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (उपसर्ग) + इ (धातु) > सहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Masculine Nominative plural; agreeing with ‘ते’

• रम्यम्: delightful
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; qualifying ‘तटाकम्’

• तटाकम्: a tank/pond
• तटाकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तटाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular

• योजनायतम्: extending a yojana
• योजनायतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योजन + आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; (योजन-आयत = ‘a yojana in extent’)

• पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधम्: thick with lotuses
• पद्मपुष्करसम्बाधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म + पुष्कर + सम्बाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; (पद्मैः पुष्करैः च सम्बाध = crowded with lotuses and blue lotuses)

• गजयूथैः: by herds of elephants
• गजयूथैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + यूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Neuter Instrumental plural; (गजानां यूथैः = by herds of elephants)

• अलङ्कृतम्: adorned
• अलङ्कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलङ् + कृ (धातु) > अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; qualifying ‘तटाकम्’

• सारसैः: with cranes
• सारसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine Instrumental plural

• हंसकादम्बैः: with swans and kādambas
• हंसकादम्बैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + कादम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine Instrumental plural; (हंसाः च कादम्बाः च)

• सङ्कुलम्: crowded
• सङ्कुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सङ्कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter Accusative singular; qualifying ‘तटाकम्’

• जलचारिभिः: with water-dwellers
• जलचारिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; Masculine Instrumental plural; (जले चारिभिः = by water-going creatures/birds)

Context

As the Sun was setting, they had covered a long distance, watching a yojana-long tank adorned with lotuses, and crowded with herds of elephants and flocks of cranes, swans and aquatic animals.

Characters & Entities

• sun (divākara)
• lotuses (padma)
• elephants (gaja)
• cranes (sārasa)
• swans (haṃsa)

FAQs

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

Dharma is non-possessive appreciation: the travelers witness abundance without claiming it, reflecting restraint and reverence for the forest’s living order.

What is the narrative situation?

Toward evening, after a long journey, Rāma’s group comes upon a vast, lotus-filled tank alive with animals and birds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance with gentleness—continuing the hard path of exile while remaining sensitive to beauty and life around them.