Shloka 23

सुग्रीवस्य शतवलि-प्रेषणम्

Sugriva’s Commission to Satavali for the Northern Search

Devanagari script

विशाला नलिनी यत्र प्रभूतकमलोत्पला।हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाप्सरोगणसेविता।।।।

Transliteration

viśālā nalinī yatra prabhūta-kamala-utpalā |

haṃsa-kāraṇḍava-ākīrṇā apsaro-gaṇa-sevitā ||

Translation

那里有一片广阔的莲池，莲花与青莲繁盛；群天鹅与迦兰陀婆鸭聚集其间，又有众阿普萨拉斯常来游憩。

Word by Word

• विशाला: broad/large
• विशाला: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; नलिनी इति विशेषणम्

• नलिनी: lotus-pond
• नलिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नलिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Desha (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• प्रभूत-कमल-उत्पला: having abundant lotuses and water-lilies
• प्रभूत-कमल-उत्पला: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभूत (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (कमलानि च उत्पलानि च), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; नलिनी इति विशेषणम्

• हंस-कारण्डव-आकीर्णा: filled with swans and ducks
• हंस-कारण्डव-आकीर्णा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण्डव (प्रातिपदिक) + आ-√कॄ (धातु)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (हंसाः च कारण्डवाः च) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘आकीर्ण’ (filled), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; नलिनी इति विशेषणम्

• अप्सरो-गण-सेविता: frequented by groups of apsaras
• अप्सरो-गण-सेविता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अप्सरसां गणैः), ‘सेवित’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; नलिनी इति विशेषणम्

Context

'There is a large lotus pond with many lotuses and lilies, inhabited by swans and ducks and frequented by groups of apasaras.

Characters & Entities

• Nalinī (lotus lake)
• Apsarases
• Haṃsa (swans)
• Kāraṇḍava (ducks)

FAQs

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

Dharma is disciplined attention to the mission: even amid beauty and celestial pleasures, the searchers must remain committed to truthfully completing their task.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva marks the route with a distinctive lake-locale as a navigational and descriptive cue for the search.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control (saṃyama): the implied need to resist diversion and continue the righteous search.