Shloka 21
दमयन्त्याः अरण्यविहारः — Damayantī’s Passage through the Wilderness
एते गच्छन्ति बहव: पन्थानो दक्षिणापथम् | अवन्तीमृक्षवन्तं च समतिक्रम्य पर्वतम्,'ये बहुत-से मार्ग हैं, जो दक्षिण दिशाकी ओर जाते हैं। यह मार्ग ऋक्षवान् पर्वतको लाँघकर अवन्ती-देशको जाता है
bṛhadaśva uvāca | ete gacchanti bahavaḥ panthāno dakṣiṇāpatham | avantīm ṛkṣavantaṃ ca samatikramya parvatam |
พราหมณ์บฤหทัศวะกล่าวว่า “หนทางสู่ทักษิณาปถะมีอยู่มากมาย ครั้นข้ามพ้นภูเขาฤกษวัตแล้ว ก็ไปถึงแคว้นอวันตี”
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes practical guidance: when undertaking a journey, one should know the available routes and landmarks. It reflects the epic’s concern for orderly movement, informed choice, and reliable direction rather than impulsive wandering.
Bṛhadaśva is describing the way southward, noting that multiple paths lead along the Dakṣiṇāpatha and that one reaches Avanti after crossing the Ṛkṣavat mountain.