Question:
नन्दामि मेघान् गगनेऽवलोक्य
नृत्यामि गायामि भवामि तुष्टः ।
नाहं कृषिज्ञः पथिकोऽपि नाहं
वदन्तु विज्ञा मम नामधेयम् ॥
Exposition:
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).
After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -
नन्दामि मेघान् गगने अवलोक्य
नृत्यामि गायामि भवामि तुष्टः ।
न अहं कृषिज्ञः पथिकः अपि न अहं
वदन्तु विज्ञाः मम नामधेयम् ॥
नन्दामि मेघान् गगनेऽवलोक्य
नृत्यामि गायामि भवामि तुष्टः ।
नाहं कृषिज्ञः पथिकोऽपि नाहं
वदन्तु विज्ञा मम नामधेयम् ॥
nandāmi meghān gagane.valokya
nṛtyāmi gāyāmi bhavāmi tuṣṭaḥ ।
nāhaṃ kṛṣijñaḥ pathiko.pi nāhaṃ
vadantu vijñā mama nāmadheyam ॥
Solve this प्रहेलिका (prahelikā - riddle).
After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -
नन्दामि मेघान् गगने अवलोक्य
नृत्यामि गायामि भवामि तुष्टः ।
न अहं कृषिज्ञः पथिकः अपि न अहं
वदन्तु विज्ञाः मम नामधेयम् ॥
nandāmi meghān gagane avalokya
nṛtyāmi gāyāmi bhavāmi tuṣṭaḥ ।
na ahaṃ kṛṣijñaḥ pathikaḥ api na ahaṃ
vadantu vijñāḥ mama nāmadheyam ॥
Meaning:
I rejoice seeing the clouds in the sky, I dance, I sing, I become happy. I am not a farmer nor am I a traveller. If you know, tell my name?!
Answer:
A farmer delights at the sight of clouds in the sky. He may even sing and dance with joy.
A weary traveller in the scorching hot sun may react the same way on seeing the signs of rain.
But the verse says the answer is neither!
This is a Bahirlāpikā (बहिर्लापिका) riddle, as the answer lies outside the verse and must be guessed based on the clues provided.
The answer that fits the bill would be -
mayūra, nīlakaṇṭha, śikhī, barhi
Meaning - Peacock!
A peacock revels and rejoices at the sight of clouds in the sky. It shows its delight by singing and dancing. It feels as if it has come alive with happiness! It is neither a farmer nor a traveller :)
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