Shloka 101

पम्पा

तीर-वर्णनम् / Rama’s Lament at Pampa and the Approach to Rishyamuka

Devanagari script

पश्य सानुषु चित्रेषु मृगीभिस्सहितान्मृगान्।मां पुनर्मृगशाबाक्ष्या वैदेह्या विरहीकृतम्।।।।व्यथयन्तीव मे चित्तं सञ्चरन्तस्ततस्ततः।

Transliteration

paśya sānuṣu citreṣu mṛgībhiḥ sahitān mṛgān |

māṁ punar mṛgaśābākṣyā vaidehyā virahīkṛtam || 4.1.101 ||

vyathayantīva me cittaṁ sañcarantas tataḥ tataḥ |

Translation

Hãy nhìn bầy nai trên những sườn núi rực rỡ kia, đi lại cùng các nai cái. Còn ta—bị Vaidehi, người có đôi mắt như nai con, khiến phải chia lìa—thấy như tim mình đau nhói khi chúng lang thang đây đó.

Word by Word

• paśya: see, behold
• paśya: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Loṭ (लोट्/Imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• sānuṣu: on the slopes
• sānuṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• citreṣu: variegated, beautiful
• citreṣu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with 'sānuṣu'

• mṛgībhiḥ: with female deer
• mṛgībhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/Association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sahitān: accompanied
• sahitān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (कृदन्त; √sah (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with 'mṛgān'

• mṛgān: deer
• mṛgān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• punar: again
• punar: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय)

• mṛgaśābākṣyā: by the fawn-eyed (lady)
• mṛgaśābākṣyā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛgaśāba (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); bahuvrīhi: 'she whose eyes are like a fawn's'

• vaidehyā: by Vaidehī (Sītā)
• vaidehyā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• virahīkṛtam: made separated, bereft (of her)
• virahīkṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-rahī (प्रातिपदिक) + √kṛ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle; agrees with 'mām'

• vyathayantī: tormenting
• vyathayantī: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vyath (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्/causative) + śānac (कृदन्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); present participle; implicit subject = 'mṛgāḥ' (the deer) as a collective causing pain

• iva: as if
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparison particle (उपमा-वाचक)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• cittam: mind, heart
• cittam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sañcarantaḥ: moving about
• sañcarantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√car (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); present active participle; agrees with implied 'mṛgāḥ'

• tataḥ: from there / there
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्थानवाचक/दिशावाचक)

• tataḥ: there (here and there)
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb; reduplicated for distributive sense (ततस्ततः = here and there)

Context

Look at the (male) deer happily roaming here and there together with the female deer on the colourful mountain slopes. Separated from the fawn-eyed Vaidehi, this sight fills my heart with agony.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Sita (Vaidehi)
• mountain slopes
• deer

FAQs

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

The verse underscores fidelity and constancy in love: even amid nature’s harmony, Rama’s dharmic commitment to Sita makes separation intolerable rather than replaceable.

What is the narrative situation?

While moving through the mountain region near Pampā, Rama points to paired deer; their togetherness intensifies his grief at being parted from Sita.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ekapatnī-vrata (exclusive devotion to one spouse) expressed through unwavering longing for Sita alone.