Shloka 44
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
पाटलैनरिकेलैश्व चन्दनैश्नार्जुनैस्तथा । एतै रम्यैर्महावक्षै: पुण्यै: स्वादुफलैर्युतम्,राजाका वह वन देवताओंके चैत्ररथ नामक वनके समान शोभा पा रहा था। वसन्तका समय था; अशोक, चम्पा, आम, अतिमुक्तक (माधवीलता), पुन्नाग (नागकेसर), कनेर, मौलसिरी, दिव्य पाटल, पाटल, नारियल, चन्दन तथा अर्जुन--से स्वादिष्ट फलोंसे युक्त, रमणीय तथा पवित्र महावृक्ष उस वनकी शोभा बढ़ा रहे थे। कोकिलाओंके कल-कूजनसे समस्त वन गूँज उठा था। चारों ओर मतवाले भौंरे कल-कल नाद कर रहे थे
pāṭalair narikelaiś ca candanaiś nārjunais tathā | etai ramyair mahāvṛkṣaiḥ puṇyaiḥ svāduphalair yutam ||
Disse Vaiśaṃpāyana: A floresta —adornada com árvores pāṭala, coqueiros, sândalo e arjuna— estava repleta de grandes árvores deleitosas, puras e auspiciosas, carregadas de frutos doces. Na primavera ela resplandecia como o divino Caitraratha dos deuses, ecoando os chamados dos cucos e o zumbido de abelhas embriagadas, oferecendo uma visão de ordem natural e beleza sagrada que enquadra o cenário régio como harmonioso e abençoado.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds auspicious natural order: a well-fruited, fragrant, and harmonious forest is presented as a sign of blessing and rightness (puṇya/śrī). By likening the scene to the gods’ Caitraratha grove, the narrative suggests that environments reflecting balance, fertility, and beauty support dharmic life and legitimate royal presence.
Vaiśampāyana describes a springtime forest rich with pāṭala, coconut, sandalwood, and arjuna trees, heavy with sweet fruits and alive with birdsong and bees. The setting is elevated by comparison to the divine Caitraratha forest, emphasizing the extraordinary beauty and auspicious atmosphere surrounding the scene.