Shloka 22

तापसाश्रममण्डलदर्शनम्

Entering Dandaka and Meeting the Sages

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा फलैर्मूलैः पुष्पैर्वन्यैश्च राघवम्।अन्यैश्च विविधाहारैः सलक्ष्मणमपूजयन्।।।।

Transliteration

evam uktvā phalair mūlaiḥ puṣpair vanyaiś ca rāghavam |

anyaiś ca vividhāhāraiḥ sa-lakṣmaṇam apūjayan ||

Translation

ครั้นกล่าวดังนั้นแล้ว พวกเขาก็ถวายการบูชาและต้อนรับพระราฆวะพร้อมพระลักษมณะ ด้วยผลไม้ รากไม้ ดอกไม้ป่า และอาหารนานาชนิดที่เก็บจากพงไพร

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in that manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), परस्मैपदी धातु √वच्; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• फलैः: with fruits
• फलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• मूलैः: with roots
• मूलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• वन्यैः: with forest-produce
• वन्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) of implied ‘द्रव्यैः/भोज्यैः’ or of ‘फलैः…’ (forest(-produced))

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• राघवम्: Rāghava (Rama)
• राघवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• अन्यैः: with other
• अन्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) of ‘आहारैः’ (with other)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विविधाहारैः: with various foods
• विविधाहारैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vividhāhāra (प्रातिपदिक: vividha + āhāra)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive: ‘विविधः आहारः’)

• स-लक्ष्मणम्: together with Lakṣmaṇa
• स-लक्ष्मणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक: sa + lakṣmaṇa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (‘लक्ष्मणेन सह’ = along with Lakṣmaṇa) used adjectivally qualifying ‘राघवम्’

• अपूजयन्: they honored, worshipped
• अपूजयन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु √पूज् (to honor) with उपसर्ग ‘अ-’ (here as augment of लङ्)

Context

The hermitages where various sacrificial offerings were made reverberated with Vedic chantings. Flowers were scattered all over. There was a lotus-pond with lotuses. There were aged, self-restrained sages glowing like the Sun or the fire, living on fruits and roots, clothed in bark and dark deer-skin.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• fruits (phala)
• roots (mūla)
• flowers (puṣpa)

FAQs

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

Atithi-dharma (hospitality): even with minimal resources, the sages honor guests with sincerity, showing that dharma depends on intent and reverence rather than wealth.

What is the narrative situation?

After requesting protection, the sages perform respectful reception of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa by offering simple forest foods.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The sages’ generosity and reverence (satkāra), and Rāma’s worthiness as a dharmic guest-king are implicitly affirmed.