Shloka 20

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

Devanagari script

विद्युत्पताकास्सबलाकमालाःशैलेन्द्रकूटाकृतिसन्निकाशाः।गर्जन्ति मेघाः समुदीर्णनादाःमत्ता गजेन्द्रा इव संयुगस्थाः।।

Transliteration

vidyut-patākāḥ sa-balāka-mālāḥ śailendra-kūṭākṛti-sannikāśāḥ | garjanti meghāḥ samudīrṇa-nādāḥ mattā gajendrā iva saṃyuga-sthāḥ ||

Translation

Mây đen như đỉnh núi cao, lấy tia chớp làm cờ, lấy hàng cò làm tràng hoa; tiếng sấm dậy vang cuồn cuộn—tựa voi chúa đang kỳ động dục, dàn trận nơi chiến địa.

Word by Word

• vidyut-patākāḥ: with lightning as banners
• vidyut-patākāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidyut + patākā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; Tatpuruṣa: vidyutaḥ patākā iva (having lightning as banners)

• sa-balāka-mālāḥ: with garlands of herons
• sa-balāka-mālāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह) + balāka + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; Tatpuruṣa: balākānāṃ mālā saha (with rows/garlands of herons)

• śailendra-kūṭa-ākṛti-sannikāśāḥ: resembling the shapes of lofty mountain peaks
• śailendra-kūṭa-ākṛti-sannikāśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śailendra + kūṭa + ākṛti + sannikāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; Tatpuruṣa chain: resembling (sannikāśa) the shape (ākṛti) of peaks (kūṭa) of mountain-lords (śailendra)

• garjanti: roar, rumble
• garjanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √garj (गर्ज् धातु, शब्दे)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• meghāḥ: clouds
• meghāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: megha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• samudīrṇa-nādāḥ: with loud, raised sounds
• samudīrṇa-nādāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√īr (ईर्/ईर् धातु, प्रेरणे/उत्थाने) (कृदन्त) + nāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; Tatpuruṣa: samudīrṇaḥ nādaḥ yeṣām (having raised/loud sounds); PPP (क्त) in first member

• mattāḥ: intoxicated, excited
• mattāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; predicate adjective to meghāḥ (via simile)

• gajendrāḥ: lordly elephants
• gajendrāḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; Tatpuruṣa: gajānām indraḥ (lord of elephants)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमावाचक अव्यय)

• saṃyuga-sthāḥ: standing in battle
• saṃyuga-sthāḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃyuga + stha (कृदन्त; √sthā स्था धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; Tatpuruṣa: saṃyuge sthitāḥ (standing in battle); Kridanta (क्त/क्तवत् sense) used adjectivally

Context

The clouds that resemble high mountain peaks, having their banners of lightning with rows of herons as garlands give out loud peals of thunder like elephants in rut trumpet in battle-array.

Characters & Entities

• clouds (megha)
• lightning (vidyut)
• mountain peaks (śailendra-kūṭa)
• elephants (gajendra)

FAQs

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

Power must be rightly directed: the imagery of battle-array suggests that strength (like thunderous clouds or elephants) is meaningful when ordered and purposeful, not chaotic.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama portrays the monsoon clouds as a martial procession—peaks, banners, garlands, and roaring—making the season vivid and forceful.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage tempered by order: the ideal of disciplined strength.