Shloka 29

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

Devanagari script

धारानिपातैरभिहन्यमानाःकदम्बशाखासु विलम्बमानाः।क्षणार्जितं पुष्परसावगाढंशनैर्मदं षट्चरणास्त्यजन्ति।।

Transliteration

dhārānipātair abhihanyamānāḥ kadambaśākhāsu vilambamānāḥ | kṣaṇārjitaṃ puṣparasāvagāḍhaṃ śanair madaṃ ṣaṭcaraṇās tyajanti ||

Translation

موسلا دھار بارش کی چوٹیں کھاتے اور کدمب کی شاخوں سے لٹکے ہوئے، بھونرے—جو پل بھر میں پھولوں کے رس میں ڈوب کر پی لیتے ہیں—اپنی مدہوشی کو آہستہ آہستہ چھوڑ دیتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• dhārā-nipātaiḥ: by the falling streams (of rain)
• dhārā-nipātaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhārā + nipāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masc), Tṛtīyā (instr, 3rd), Bahuvacana (pl); samāsa: dhārāṇāṃ nipātaiḥ (rain-stream-falls)

• abhihanyamānāḥ: being beaten/struck
• abhihanyamānāḥ: Karta (कर्ता; of passive participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√han (धातु)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; karmaṇi prayoga sense ‘being struck’

• kadamba-śākhāsu: on kadamba branches
• kadamba-śākhāsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kadamba + śākhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (fem), Saptamī (loc, 7th), Bahuvacana (pl); samāsa: kadambasya śākhāsu

• vilambamānāḥ: hanging
• vilambamānāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√lamb (धातु)
• Form: Vartamāna-kṛdanta (present active participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘hanging/lingering’

• kṣaṇa-arjitam: acquired in a moment
• kṣaṇa-arjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣaṇa + arjita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √arj धातु)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), Dvitīyā (acc, 2nd), Ekavacana (sg); samāsa: kṣaṇena arjitam (acquired in a moment)

• puṣpa-rasa-avagāḍham: steeped in flower-nectar
• puṣpa-rasa-avagāḍham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa + rasa + avagāḍha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; ava-√gāh धातु)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), Dvitīyā (acc, 2nd), Ekavacana; samāsa: puṣpāṇāṃ rase avagāḍham (immersed in flower-juice/honey)

• śanaiḥ: slowly
• śanaiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb ‘slowly’

• madam: intoxication (honey-drunkenness)
• madam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masc), Dvitīyā (acc, 2nd), Ekavacana (sg)

• ṣaṭ-caraṇāḥ: bees
• ṣaṭ-caraṇāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masc), Prathamā (nom, 1st), Bahuvacana (pl); bahuvrīhi: ṣaṭ caraṇāni yasya (six-footed = bee)

• tyajanti: leave/abandon
• tyajanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana (pl); parasmaipada

Context

'Having sucked honey from the flower-cups filled with honey, the bees are shedding their drunkenness slowly and hanging on the branches of kadamba trees, smitten with showers.

Characters & Entities

• kadamba (tree)
• bees (ṣaṭcaraṇa)
• rain (dhārā)

FAQs

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

The lesson aligns with dharma as moderation: intoxication gained quickly fades slowly; one should not chase fleeting pleasures at the cost of duty, because consequences linger.

What is the narrative situation?

Monsoon showers lash the forest; Lakṣmaṇa’s observations serve as poetic commentary while Rāma waits for promised assistance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance (dama): the imagery supports the ideal of mastering impulses rather than being mastered by them.