Shloka 14

विन्ध्यगुहाविचयः — Searching the Vindhya Caves and the Cursed Forest

Southern Search

Devanagari script

तेन धर्मात्मना शप्तं कृत्स्नं तत्रमहद्वनम्।अशरण्यं दुराधर्षं मृगपक्षिविवर्जितम्।।।।

Transliteration

tena dharmātmanā śaptaṃ kṛtsnaṃ tatra mahad vanam | aśaraṇyaṃ durādharṣaṃ mṛgapakṣivivarjitam || 4.48.14 ||

Translation

ด้วยคำสาปของฤๅษีผู้ทรงธรรมผู้นั้น ป่าใหญ่ทั้งผืน ณ ที่นั้นจึงกลายเป็นแดนไร้ที่พึ่ง น่าหวาดเกรง ยากจะย่ำกราย และว่างเปล่าจนแม้สัตว์ป่าและนกก็มิได้อาศัย

Word by Word

• तेन: by him
• तेन: करण (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धर्मात्मना: by the righteous one
• धर्मात्मना: करण (कर्ता-निर्देशक/agent in instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य सः)

• शप्तम्: cursed
• शप्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘cursed’ (agrees with वनम्)

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of वनम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• महत्: great
• महत्: विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of वनम्

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अशरण्यम्: without refuge / not a shelter
• अशरण्यम्: विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of वनम्

• दुराधर्षम्: hard to approach/assail
• दुराधर्षम्: विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + आधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of वनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दुर्+आधर्ष)

• मृग-पक्षि-विवर्जितम्: devoid of beasts and birds
• मृग-पक्षि-विवर्जितम्: विशेषण (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of वनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मृगपक्षिभ्यां विवर्जितम्)

Context

Cursed by the great righteous sage the entire forest turned barren, unfit to harbour living beings and became devoid of even beasts and birds.

Characters & Entities

• Kaṇḍu
• Great forest (mahad vana)
• Beasts (mṛga)
• Birds (pakṣi)

FAQs

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

The verse teaches moral causality: a powerful person’s words (especially a ṛṣi’s) carry ethical weight and real-world consequences; dharma therefore demands responsible speech and restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

The cause of the desolate landscape is explained: the sage’s curse transformed the forest into a lifeless, uninhabitable region.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsibility of power: spiritual authority must be governed by self-control and compassion, not only by strength of tapas.