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Shloka 32

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

मार्गानुगश्शैलवनानुसारीसम्प्रस्थितो मेघरवं निशम्य।युद्धाभिकामः प्रतिनादशङ्कीमत्तो गजेन्द्रः प्रतिसन्निवृत्तः।।

mārgānugaś śailavanānusārī samprasthito megharavaṃ niśamya | yuddhābhikāmaḥ pratinādaśaṅkī matto gajendraḥ pratisannivṛttaḥ ||

పర్వత-వన మార్గాన్ని అనుసరిస్తూ సాగుతున్న మత్తగజేంద్రుడు మేఘగర్జనను విని, యుద్ధాభిలాషతో అది ప్రత్యర్థి సవాల్‌ధ్వని అనుకొని మళ్లీ తిరిగి వచ్చెను।

mārga-anugaḥfollowing the path
mārga-anugaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootmārga + anuga (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; anu-√gam धातु)
FormPuṃliṅga (masc), Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: mārgaṃ anugacchati iti (following the path)
śaila-vana-anusārīmoving along the mountain forest
śaila-vana-anusārī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootśaila + vana + anusārin (प्रातिपदिक; anu-√sṛ/√sar)
FormPuṃliṅga (masc), Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: śailasya vanasya ca anusārī (following along mountain-forests)
samprasthitaḥhaving set out
samprasthitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-pra-√sthā (धातु)
FormBhūtakṛdanta (past participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘having set out’ (used adjectivally)
megha-ravamthe thunder (sound) of clouds
megha-ravam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmegha + rava (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (masc), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; samāsa: meghasya ravaḥ
niśamyahaving heard
niśamya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootni-√śam (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), avyaya; ‘having heard’
yuddha-abhikāmaḥeager for battle
yuddha-abhikāmaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootyuddha + abhikāma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: yuddham abhikāmaḥ (desirous of battle)
pratināda-śaṅkīsuspecting an enemy roar
pratināda-śaṅkī:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootpratināda + śaṅkin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: pratinādaṃ śaṅkate iti (suspecting a counter-roar)
mattaḥin rut
mattaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootmatta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √mad धातु)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; past participle ‘intoxicated/in rut’
gajendraḥthe lordly elephant
gajendraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootgajendra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘lord among elephants’
pratisannivṛttaḥturned back
pratisannivṛttaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate participle)
TypeVerb
Rootprati-sam-ni-√vṛt (धातु)
FormBhūtakṛdanta (past participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘turned back/returned’

'Intoxicated elephants on their march along the mountain in the forest, hear the thundering sounds of clouds and suspecting it to be the call of proud elephants to fight turn back.

E
elephant (gajendra)

FAQs

A dharmic caution against acting from misperception: the elephant mistakes thunder for a rival’s call; similarly, one must verify truth (satya) before reacting with aggression.

Lakṣmaṇa illustrates how monsoon sounds can be mistaken for battle signals, using it as evocative nature-poetry during the Kishkindhā waiting period.

Discernment and patience: suspicions and impulses should be checked against truth before action.