Shloka 38

भरद्वाजाश्रमात् चित्रकूटमार्गनिर्देशः

Directions from Bharadvaja’s Hermitage to Chitrakuta

Devanagari script

सा प्रयाता महासेना गजवाजिरथाकुला। दक्षिणां दिशमावृत्य महामेघ इवोत्थितः।।2.92.37।। वनानि तु व्यतिक्रम्य जुष्टानि मृगपक्षिभिः। गङ्गायाः परवेलायां गिरिष्वपि नदीषु च।।2.92.38।।

Transliteration

sā prayātā mahāsenā gaja-vāji-rathākulā | dakṣiṇāṃ diśam āvṛtya mahāmegha ivotthitaḥ || 2.92.37 ||

vanāni tu vyatikramya juṣṭāni mṛga-pakṣibhiḥ | gaṅgāyāḥ para-velāyāṃ giriṣv api nadīṣu ca || 2.92.38 ||

Translation

హస్తి-అశ్వ-రథాలతో నిండిన ఆ మహాసేన దక్షిణ దిశను ఆవరించి, ఆకాశంలో లేచిన మహామేఘంలా ముందుకు కదిలెను। మృగపక్షులు సంచరించే అరణ్యాలను దాటి, గంగానది పరతీరమున, పర్వతములలోను నదులలోను సాగుచు ముందుకు వెళ్లెను।

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (army)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); sarvanāma (pronoun)

• प्रयाता: having proceeded
• प्रयाता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु) + pra-; prayāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle used predicatively; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; sense: 'having set out/proceeded'

• महासेना: the great army
• महासेना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + senā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: 'great (mahā) army (senā)'

• गजवाजिरथाकुला: teeming with elephants, horses, and chariots
• गजवाजिरथाकुला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of senā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaja + vāji + ratha + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (genitive/association sense): 'ākulā (teeming) with elephants, horses, and chariots'

• दक्षिणाम्: southern
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (कर्म) within object phrase
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; agrees with diśam

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (दिश् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• आवृत्य: having covered/turning towards
• आवृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (वृ धातु) with ā-; āvṛtya (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable verbal form; sense: 'having covered/turned towards/spread over'

• महामेघः: a great cloud
• महामेघः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + megha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā, Ekavacana; used in upamā (simile) with iva

• इव: like/as
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (simile particle)

• उत्थितः: arisen/risen
• उत्थितः: Kriyā (क्रिया) / Predicative
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√sthā (स्था धातु) ; utthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle used predicatively; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with implied 'meghaḥ' in simile / or predicative of senā by comparison

Context

Bharata's army of soldiers, elephants and horses, all in high spirits, looked splendid while entering the forest full of frightening flocks of birds and beasts.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē dvinavatitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the ninetysecond sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata’s army (mahāsenā)
• Gaṅgā
• forests (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma is conveyed as steadfast pursuit of a rightful aim despite distance and hardship—collective perseverance aligned with moral responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata’s large force travels south, crossing wilderness and terrain beyond the Gaṅgā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve and disciplined unity—an organized community moving together for a dharmic purpose.