Shloka 21

Adhyaya 6 — Balarama’s Dilemma, Drunken Wanderings in Revata’s Grove, and the Slaying of the Suta

Sanskrit

कह्लारैः कमलैश्चापि आचितानि समन्ततः /

कादम्बैश्चक्रवाकैश्च तथैव जलकुक्कुटैः

Transliteration

kahlāraiḥ kamalaiś cāpi ācitāni samantataḥ /

kādambaiś cakravākaiś ca tathaiva jalakukkuṭaiḥ

Translation

చుట్టూ అవి తెల్ల కాహ్లారాలు మరియు ఎర్ర కమలాలతో ఘనంగా నిండివుండెను; అలాగే కాదంబ పక్షులు, చక్రవాక బాతులు, జలకుక్కుటాలు మొదలైన జలపక్షులతో కూడి ఉండెను।

Word by Word

• kahlāraiḥ: with kahlāra lotuses
• kahlāraiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kahlāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kamalaiḥ: with lotuses
• kamalaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• ācitāni: filled/covered
• ācitāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√ci (चि धातु) + kta (क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle/क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); (सरांसि) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• samantataḥ: on all sides
• samantataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Adv)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/देशवाचक अव्यय

• kādambaiḥ: with kādamba birds (geese/ducks)
• kādambaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kādamba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• cakravākaiḥ: with cakravāka birds
• cakravākaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakravāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय

• jala-kukkuṭaiḥ: with waterfowl (water-cocks)
• jala-kukkuṭaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + kukkuṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जलस्य कुक्कुटाः)

Speakers

• Narratorial description (no direct speech indicated in this verse alone)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "shrngara", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Sacred geography/nature imagery
• Poetic description (kāvya-style)
• Auspicious landscape (lakes/lotuses/birds)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse functions as an auspicious tableau: abundance of lotuses and harmonious water-birds signals a sattvic, dharmically ‘fit’ setting for ensuing narration. In Purāṇic rhetoric, such natural plenitude often frames a place as conducive to tapas, learning, or sacred discourse.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This verse is not directly sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita. It is best classified as ancillary narrative description (upavarṇana) supporting a story-setting rather than one of the five lakṣaṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

Lotuses conventionally symbolize purity arising from the waters of saṃsāra; the lake filled ‘on all sides’ suggests a mind-field pervaded by clarity. Birds like the cakravāka, famed in Sanskrit poetics, can imply longing and reunion themes—subtle emotional coloration that prepares the listener for narrative movement.