Shloka 22

Devanagari script

शीर्णपर्णेन चैकेन पारयामास सा परम्‌ | संवत्सरं तीव्रकोपा पादाड्गुष्ठाग्रधिछ्ठिता

Transliteration

śīrṇaparṇena caikena pārayāmāsa sā param | saṃvatsaraṃ tīvrakopā pādāṅguṣṭhāgrādhiṣṭhitā ||

Translation

Rama berkata: Dengan sehelai daun kering sahaja, dia menyara diri dan membawa tapanya ke batas yang paling tinggi. Teguh dalam tekad, dia bertahan selama genap setahun berdiri di hujung ibu jari kakinya.

Word by Word

शीर्णपर्णेनwith a withered leaf

चand

एकेनwith one (single)

पारयामासshe carried/maintained (brought through)

साshe

परम्the end/limit; the other shore

संवत्सरम्for a year

तीव्रकोपाhaving fierce anger

पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्राधिष्ठिताstanding/poised on the tip of the big toe

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Rama

a woman ascetic (sā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical potency of tapas: disciplined restraint and unwavering resolve can elevate a person’s inner strength, making endurance and self-control central virtues in dharmic life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rama describes an extraordinary act of austerity by a woman: she subsists on a single withered leaf and maintains a severe vow for a year, standing balanced on the tip of her great toe.