Shloka 18

अनसूयाप्रीतिदानम्

Anasūyā’s Blessing and the Forest Path

Devanagari script

तावूचुस्ते वनचरास्तापसा धर्मचारिणः।वनस्य तस्य सञ्चारं राक्षसैस्समभिप्लुतम्।।।।

Transliteration

tāv ūcus te vanacarās tāpasā dharmacāriṇaḥ | vanasya tasya sañcāraṁ rākṣasaiḥ samabhiplutam ||

Translation

ਧਰਮ ਦੇ ਪਾਲਣਹਾਰ ਉਹ ਵਨਚਰ ਤਪਸਵੀ ਦੋਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬੋਲੇ ਕਿ ਉਸ ਜੰਗਲ ਦੇ ਉਸ ਹਿੱਸੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਵਾਜਾਈ ਰਾਖਸ਼ਸਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਭਰੀ ਹੋਈ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• tau: to those two
• tau: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; object of ūcuḥ (addressed 'to those two')

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• te: those
• te: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• vanacarāḥ: forest-dwellers
• vanacarāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: vane caranti iti

• tāpasāḥ: ascetics
• tāpasāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; apposition to te

• dharmacāriṇaḥ: righteous in conduct
• dharmacāriṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + cārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: dharmaṃ caranti

• vanasya: of the forest
• vanasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; refers to vana

• sañcāram: movement/route
• sañcāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sañcāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rākṣasaiḥ: by demons
• rākṣasaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• samabhiplutam: overrun/infested
• samabhiplutam: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-abhi-√plu (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with sañcāram; passive sense 'overrun/flooded'

Context

The righteous ascetics dwelling in the forest informed both Rama and Lakshmana that part of the forest infested by demons.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Forest region (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes protecting the righteous and safeguarding sacred spaces; the sages’ warning frames the forest as a moral arena threatened by adharma (rākṣasa violence).

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa prepare to depart, the ascetics inform them that the forest route is infested by rākṣasas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The ascetics’ responsibility and truthfulness in warning, and the implied kṣātra-duty of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to confront threats to dharma.