Shloka 24

हेमन्तवर्णनम् तथा भरतधर्मनिष्ठा-चिन्तनम्

Winter Description and Reflection on Bharata’s Devotion

Devanagari script

बाष्पसञ्छन्नसलिला रुतविज्ञेयसारसाः।हिमार्द्रवालुकैस्तीरैस्सरितो भान्ति साम्प्रतम्।।।।

Transliteration

bāṣpasañchannasalilā rutavijñeyasārasāḥ |

himārdravālukais tīrais sarito bhānti sāmpratam ||

Translation

บัดนี้สายน้ำทั้งหลายดูราวกับมีไอน้ำปกปิดผืนน้ำไว้ รู้ได้เพียงจากเสียงร้องของหงส์ และจากตลิ่งทรายที่ชุ่มชื้นด้วยน้ำค้างแข็ง

Word by Word

• बाष्प-सञ्छन्न-सलिलाः: whose waters are covered with vapour
• बाष्प-सञ्छन्न-सलिलाः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + सञ्छन्न (कृदन्त; √छद् (धातु) + सम् + क्त) + सलिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (बाष्पेण सञ्छन्नं सलिलं यासां ताः)

• रुत-विज्ञेय-सारसाः: where swans are known by their calls
• रुत-विज्ञेय-सारसाः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुत (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञेय (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा (धातु) + वि + यत्/तव्यत्-भाव) + सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रुतेन विज्ञेयाः सारसाः यासां ताः)

• हिम-आर्द्र-वालुकैः: with snow-damp sands
• हिम-आर्द्र-वालुकैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिम (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वालुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (हिमेन आर्द्राः वालुकाः)

• तीरैः: by/with the banks
• तीरैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भान्ति: shine/appear
• भान्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• साम्प्रतम्: now
• साम्प्रतम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: now/at present)

Context

Now the rivers are not visible as the waters are covered with vapour. They are only inferred through the cackling of swans and the sands of the bank moistened with dew-drops.

Characters & Entities

• rivers (saritaḥ)

FAQs

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

It suggests careful knowledge: when things are obscured, one relies on signs and sound inference. In dharmic life too, truth is often approached through attentive observation rather than haste.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama describes rivers in winter: mist hides the water, but swan-calls and frosted banks reveal their presence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Attentiveness and discernment—learning to recognize reality even when it is partially hidden.