Shloka 18

वर्षावर्णनम्

The Monsoon Description and Rama’s Counsel on Timing

Devanagari script

व्यामिश्रितं सार्जकदम्बपुष्पैर्नवं जलं पर्वतधातुताम्रम्।मयूरकेकाभिरनुप्रयातंशैलापगाश्शीघ्रतरं वहन्ति।।

Transliteration

vyāmiśritaṃ sārja-kadamba-puṣpair navaṃ jalaṃ parvata-dhātu-tāmram | mayūra-kekābhir anuprayātaṃ śailāpagāḥ śīghrataraṃ vahanti ||

Translation

山间溪流迅疾奔涌，携着新降雨水，夹杂娑罗与迦檀婆花香，又因山中矿色而微红；孔雀的鸣叫仿佛随流相伴。

Word by Word

• vyāmiśritam: mixed, intermingled
• vyāmiśritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyā-miśrita (कृदन्त; √miś मिश्रणे धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); Past Passive Participle (क्त) used adjectivally

• sārja-kadamba-puṣpaiḥ: with sarja and kadamba blossoms
• sārja-kadamba-puṣpaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārja + kadamba + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); compound: sārja-kadamba (dvandva) qualifying puṣpaiḥ

• navam: fresh, new
• navam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying jalam

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• parvata-dhātu-tāmram: copper-red from mountain minerals
• parvata-dhātu-tāmram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata + dhātu + tāmra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa: parvata-dhātu (mountain-mineral) + tāmra (copper-red) meaning 'reddened by mountain minerals'

• mayūra-kekābhiḥ: with peacocks' cries
• mayūra-kekābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mayūra + kekā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental, Plural; Tatpuruṣa: mayūrasya kekā (cries of peacocks)

• anuprayātam: accompanied/followed by
• anuprayātam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-prayāta (कृदन्त; √yā गत्यर्थे धातु with anu+pra)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; Past Passive Participle (क्त) used adjectivally qualifying jalam

• śailāpagāḥ: mountain-streams
• śailāpagāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila + ap + gā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa: śailāt apagā (flowing down from mountains)

• śīghrataram: more swiftly
• śīghrataram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial use of comparative (तर) form; avyayavat (adverbially) modifying vahanti

• vahanti: flow/carry
• vahanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vah (वह धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

'The black bees like jambu fruits full of sweet juice. People share them to their hearts content, while the mango fruits which take multiple colours on getting ripened drop on the ground shaken by the wind.

Characters & Entities

• kadamba
• peacocks (mayūra)
• mountain streams (śailāpagāḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma is alignment with ṛta (order): waters flow, seasons renew, and life responds. The verse teaches respect for natural rhythms and the truth that the world is sustained by interdependent processes.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama describes monsoon-fed mountain streams—colored by minerals, strewn with blossoms—set to the soundscape of peacocks.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverent awareness (saṃvedana): the ability to notice and learn from the living world.