Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 50, Shloka 21

गङ्गादर्शनम् तथा गुहसमागमः

Vision of the Gaṅgā and Meeting with Guha

Devanagari script

क्वचित्कुमुदषण्डैश्च कुड्मलैरुपशोभिताम्।नानापुष्परजोध्वस्तां समदामिव च क्वचित्।।2.50.21।।

Transliteration

kvacit kumuda-ṣaṇḍaiś ca kuḍmalair upaśobhitām |

nānā-puṣpa-rajo-dhvastāṃ samadām iva ca kvacit ||2.50.21||

Translation

କେତେକ ସ୍ଥାନରେ କୁମୁଦର ଝୁଣ୍ଡ ଓ ଅର୍ଧଫୁଟା କୁଡ୍ମଳମାନେ ତାକୁ ଅଧିକ ଶୋଭାୟିତ କରୁଥିଲେ; ଆଉ କେତେକ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ନାନା ପୁଷ୍ପର ପରାଗଧୂଳିରେ ଆବୃତ ହୋଇ ସେ ଯେନ ମୃଦୁ ମଦମତ୍ତା ହୋଇଥିବା ପରି ଲାଗୁଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• क्वचित्: in some places
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय

• कुमुद-षण्डैः: with clusters of water-lilies
• कुमुद-षण्डैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमुद (प्रातिपदिक) + षण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘कुमुदानां षण्डाः’ = ‘clusters of kumuda’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• कुड्मलैः: with buds/half-open blossoms
• कुड्मलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुड्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• उप-शोभिताम्: beautifully adorned
• उप-शोभिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप (उपसर्ग) + शोभित (कृदन्त; √शुभ्/√शोभ् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (क्त)

• नाना-पुष्प-रजः-ध्वस्ताम्: strewn with pollen of many flowers
• नाना-पुष्प-रजः-ध्वस्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वस्त (कृदन्त; √ध्वंस्/√ध्वस् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (क्त) ‘ध्वस्त’ = ‘covered/strewn’; ‘रजः’ = pollen/dust

• समदाम्: intoxicated/ardent
• समदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘स-मद’ = ‘as if intoxicated/ardent’

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• क्वचित्: in some places
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय

Context

Here she is decked with hosts of water-lilies and half-blown flowers while elsewhere she looks intoxicated with the pollen fallen from various flowers.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā

FAQs

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

Dharma as balance: the imagery of ‘intoxication’ is metaphorical, reminding that delight in beauty should remain within self-control and clarity.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet paints the river’s floral richness and the sensory atmosphere along its course.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance (dama): enjoying beauty without losing discernment.