Shloka 8

पम्पा

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

Devanagari script

अधिकं प्रविभात्येतन्नीलपीतं तु शाद्वलम्।द्रुमाणां विविधैः पुष्पैः परिस्तोमैरिवार्पितम्।।।।

Transliteration

adhikaṃ pravibhāty etan nīlapītaṃ tu śādvalam |

drumāṇāṃ vividhaiḥ puṣpaiḥ paristomair ivārpitam ||

Translation

अधिकं प्रविभात्येतन्नीलपीतं तु शाद्वलम्। द्रुमाणां विविधैः पुष्पैः परिस्तोमैरिवार्पितम्॥

Word by Word

अधिकम्very much

प्रविभातिshines brightly

एतत्this

नील-पीतम्blue-and-yellow

तुbut

शाद्वलम्the grassy turf

द्रुमाणाम्of the trees

विविधैःvarious

पुष्पैःwith flowers

परिस्तोमैःwith carpet-like coverings

इवas if

अर्पितम्spread/laid

Context

'There are trees like ankola, kuranta, churnaka, paribhadraka, mango, patali, kovidara, muchukunda, arjuna, ketaka, uddalaka, shirisha, shimshupa and shava, all in full bloom on the mountain peaks.

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Lakṣmaṇa

Pampā (implied by sarga context)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is indirect: Rāma’s disciplined attention to the world around him reflects steadiness and truthful perception (satya-darśana). Even in grief, he observes and speaks without distortion, modeling inner restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are near Lake Pampā in Kiṣkindhā-kāṇḍa, seeing spring’s beauty while Rāma remains inwardly afflicted by separation from Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s sensitivity joined with composure: he perceives beauty clearly while carrying sorrow without abandoning self-control.