Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

स गच्छन्‌ ददृशे धीमान्‌ नन्दनप्रतिमं वनम्‌ । बिल्वार्कखदिराकीर्ण कपित्थधवसंकुलम्‌,उनका रथ गरुडके समान वेगशाली था। उसके द्वारा यात्रा करनेवाले नरेशने घरघराहटकी आवाजसे पृथ्वी और आकाशको गुँँजा दिया। जाते-जाते बुद्धिमान्‌ दुष्यन्तने एक नन्दनवनके समान मनोहर वन देखा, जो बेल, आक, खैर, कैथ और धव (बाकली) आदि वृक्षोंसे भरपूर था

Transliteration

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

Translation

అలా సాగుచుండగా ధీమంతుడైన రాజు నందనవనమువలె మనోహరమైన అడవిని చూచెను. అది బిల్వ, అర్క, ఖదిర వృక్షములతో నిండినదై, కపిత్థ మరియు ధవ వృక్షములతో ఘనముగా కిక్కిరిసినది।

Word by Word

सःhe

गच्छन्going, while going

ददृशेsaw

धीमान्wise, intelligent

नन्दन-प्रतिमम्like Nandana (garden), Nandana-like

वनम्forest

बिल्व-अर्क-खदिर-आकीर्णम्strewn/filled with bilva, arka, and khadira (trees)

कपित्थ-धव-संकुलम्dense with kapittha and dhava (trees)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Nandana (celestial garden)

forest (vana)

bilva tree

arka plant

khadira tree

kapittha tree

dhava tree

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

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.