Shloka 17

Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)

Devanagari script

स गच्छन्‌ ददृशे धीमान्‌ नन्दनप्रतिमं वनम्‌ । बिल्वार्कखदिराकीर्ण कपित्थधवसंकुलम्‌

Transliteration

sa gacchan dadṛśe dhīmān nandana-pratimaṁ vanam | bilvārka-khadirākīrṇaṁ kapittha-dhava-saṅkulam ||

Translation

स गच्छन् धीमान् नन्दनप्रतिमं वनं ददर्श। तद् बिल्वार्कखदिराकीर्णं कपित्थधवसंकुलम्।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गच्छन्: going, while going
• गच्छन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददृशे: saw
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• धीमान्: wise, intelligent
• धीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नन्दन-प्रतिमम्: like Nandana (garden), Nandana-like
• नन्दन-प्रतिमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नन्दन + प्रतिम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बिल्व-अर्क-खदिर-आकीर्णम्: strewn/filled with bilva, arka, and khadira (trees)
• बिल्व-अर्क-खदिर-आकीर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिल्व + अर्क + खदिर + आकीर्ण
• Form: क्त (past passive participle of आ√कॄ/कॄ 'to scatter, strew'), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कपित्थ-धव-संकुलम्: dense with kapittha and dhava (trees)
• कपित्थ-धव-संकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपित्थ + धव + संकुल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nandana (celestial garden)
• forest (vana)
• bilva tree
• arka plant
• khadira tree
• kapittha tree
• dhava tree

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the epic frames pivotal human actions within morally suggestive environments: a lush, Nandana-like forest signals auspiciousness and the approach of consequential encounters, reminding a ruler to carry discernment and self-restraint even amid beauty and abundance.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the king travels, he comes upon an exceptionally beautiful and tree-filled forest, compared to Indra’s Nandana garden. This description sets the scene for events that unfold in the woodland setting.