Shloka 15

पम्पा

तीर-वर्णनम् / Rama’s Lament at Pampa and the Approach to Rishyamuka

Devanagari script

मत्तकोकिलसन्नादैर्नर्तयन्निव पादपान्।शैलकन्दरनिष्क्रान्तः प्रगीत इव चानिलः।।।।

Transliteration

mattakōkilasannādair nartayann iva pādapān | śailakandaraniṣkrāntaḥ pragīta iva cānilaḥ ||

Translation

शैलकन्दरनिष्क्रान्तः अनिलः प्रगीत इव; मत्तकोकिलसन्नादैः पादपान् नर्तयन् इव।

Word by Word

• मत्त-कोकिल-सन्नादैः: with the calls of maddened cuckoos
• मत्त-कोकिल-सन्नादैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कोकिल (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मत्तकोकिलानां सन्नादैः); 'with the calls of intoxicated cuckoos'

• नर्तयन्: making dance
• नर्तयन्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत् (धातु) → नर्तयत्/नर्तयन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, णिच् causative)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative); agrees with अनिलः; 'making (them) dance'

• इव: as if
• इव: सम्बन्ध/उपमान (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय; 'as if'

• पादपान्: trees
• पादपान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; object of नर्तयन्; 'trees'

• शैल-कन्दर-निष्क्रान्तः: issuing from mountain caves
• शैल-कन्दर-निष्क्रान्तः: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक) + कन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्-क्रम् (धातु) → निष्क्रान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (शैलकन्दरात् निष्क्रान्तः); agrees with अनिलः; 'coming out of mountain caves'

• प्रगीतः: melodious
• प्रगीतः: विशेषण (Predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-गै (धातु) → प्रगीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate-like adjective to अनिलः; 'well-sung/melodious'

• इव: as if
• इव: सम्बन्ध/उपमान (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय; 'as if'

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; 'and'

• अनिलः: the wind
• अनिलः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'wind'

Context

"As if the trees are dancing to the music of the cuckoos and to the sound of the wind coming out of the mountain-caves.

Characters & Entities

• anila (wind)
• kōkila (cuckoo)
• pādapa (trees)

FAQs

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

The verse indirectly highlights steadiness in dharma amid emotional turbulence: nature’s beauty stirs the heart, yet Rama’s larger righteous purpose (seeking Sita and upholding duty) remains the governing context.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama and Lakshmana move through the forest in spring; Rama observes the season’s music—wind, cuckoos, and swaying trees—while his inner grief over separation from Sita is being kindled.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s sensitivity and self-awareness: he reads the world truthfully (satya to experience) while continuing toward his duty-bound goal.