Shloka 2

Virādha-saṃvādaḥ — Encounter with Virādha in the Daṇḍakāraṇya

Aranya Kanda, Sarga 2

Devanagari script

नानामृगगणाकीर्णमृक्षशार्दूल सेवितम्।ध्वस्तवृक्षलतागुल्मं दुर्दर्शसलिलाशयम्।।।।निष्कूजनानाशकुनिझिल्लिकागणनादितम्।लक्ष्मणानुगतो रामो वनमध्यं ददर्श ह।।।।

Transliteration

nānāmṛgagaṇākīrṇam ṛkṣaśārdūlasevitam |

dhvastavṛkṣalatāgulmaṃ durdarśasalilāśayam ||

niṣkūjanānāśakunijhillikāgaṇanāditam |

lakṣmaṇānugato rāmo vanamadhyaṃ dadarśa ha ||3.2.2||

Translation

लक्ष्मणासह चालत रामाने वनाचा मध्यभाग पाहिला—अनेक मृगसमूहांनी भरलेला, अस्वल व वाघांनी वसलेला; जिथे वृक्ष, लता, झुडपे चिरडलेली, जलाशय दृष्टीस कठीण; आणि नानापक्ष्यांच्या किलबिलाटाने व झिल्लिकांच्या नादाने तो दुमदुमलेला होता।

Word by Word

• नाना-मृग-गण-आकीर्णम्: filled with groups of various animals
• नाना-मृग-गण-आकीर्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā + mṛga + gaṇa + ākīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘वनमध्यम्’; समास: (i) नाना-मृग (कर्मधारय), (ii) नाना-मृग-गण (तत्पुरुष), (iii) तेन आकीर्णम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• ऋक्ष-शार्दूल-सेवितम्: inhabited by bears and tigers
• ऋक्ष-शार्दूल-सेवितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṛkṣa + śārdūla + sevita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘वनमध्यम्’; द्वन्द्व (ऋक्ष-शार्दूल) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘सेवित’ (inhabited)

• ध्वस्त-वृक्ष-लता-गुल्मम्: with trees, creepers, and shrubs destroyed
• ध्वस्त-वृक्ष-लता-गुल्मम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhvasta + vṛkṣa + latā + gulma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘वनमध्यम्’; द्वन्द्व (वृक्ष-लता-गुल्म) + कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष with ‘ध्वस्त’ (destroyed)

• दुर्दर्श-सलिल-आशयम्: having water-reservoirs hard to see
• दुर्दर्श-सलिल-आशयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durdarśa + salila + āśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘वनमध्यम्’; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘दुर्दर्शः सलिलाशयः’/‘दुर्दर्शाः सलिलाशयाः यस्मिन्’)

• निष्कूजन-नाना-शकुनि-झिल्लिका-गण-नादितम्: resounding with chirping of various birds and crickets
• निष्कूजन-नाना-शकुनि-झिल्लिका-गण-नादितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣkūjana + nānā + śakuni + jhillikā + gaṇa + nādita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘वनमध्यम्’; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘(नाना-शकुनि-झिल्लिका-गणस्य) निष्कूजन-नादेन नादितम्’ (resounding with sounds)

• लक्ष्मण-अनुगतः: followed by Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मण-अनुगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lakṣmaṇa + anugata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘रामः’; तत्पुरुष (‘लक्ष्मणेन अनुगतः’ = followed by Lakṣmaṇa)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वन-मध्यम्: the middle of the forest
• वन-मध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘वनस्य मध्यम्’ = middle of the forest)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; √दृश् (to see)

• ह: indeed (particle)
• ह: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पदपूरण/स्मरणार्थक निपात (expletive particle)

Context

With Lakshmana following, Rama went through the forest, filled with herds of animals and inhabited by bears and tigers. It was a place where trees, creepers and bushes were crushed (by frequent visits of demons). It was difficult to locate a water source. And it resounded with the chirping of various birds and insects (crickets).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma in exile includes endurance and disciplined passage through hardship; the forest setting frames the moral testing-ground where virtues are proven.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration describes the dangerous, resource-scarce forest terrain that Rama and Lakshmana traverse during exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Perseverance and tapas-like resilience: they proceed into harsh wilderness without abandoning duty.