Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 19

अशोकवनिकाविचारः

Survey of the Aśoka Grove and its Enchanted Landscape

Devanagari script

निर्धूतकेशी युवतिर्यथा मृदितवर्णका।निष्पीतशुभदन्तोष्ठी नखैर्दन्तैश्च विक्षता।।5.14.18।।तथा लाङ्गूलहस्तैश्च चरणाभ्यां च मर्दिता।बभूवाशोकवनिका प्रभग्नवरपादपा।।5.14.19।।

Transliteration

nirdhūtakeśī yuvatir yathā mṛditavarṇakā |

niṣpītaśubhadantoṣṭhī nakhair dantaiś ca vikṣatā || (5.14.18)

tathā lāṅgūlahastaiś ca caraṇābhyāṃ ca marditā |

babhūvāśokavanikā prabhagnavarapādapā || (5.14.19)

Translation

This verse repeats the prior comparison: the Aśoka grove, crushed by Hanumān’s tail, hands, and feet and with its best trees broken, seemed like a young woman left disheveled and bruised—her vermilion mark smeared away and her lips and body wounded by rough love.

Word by Word

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner; links simile)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/in the same way)

• लाङ्गूल-हस्तैः: with tail and hands
• लाङ्गूल-हस्तैः: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गूल (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास: लाङ्गूलं च हस्तौ च; तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चरणाभ्याम्: with (both) feet
• चरणाभ्याम्: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• मर्दिता: crushed, trampled
• मर्दिता: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate adjective of अशोकवनिका)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मर्द् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अशोकवनिका विशेषण (predicate)

• बभूव: became, appeared
• बभूव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अशोक-वनिका: the Ashoka grove
• अशोक-वनिका: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of बभूव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वनिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: अशोकानां वनिका; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रभग्न-वर-पादपा: whose fine trees were broken
• प्रभग्न-वर-पादपा: कर्ता-विशेषण (Qualifier of अशोकवनिका)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभग्न (भञ्ज् धातु, क्त) + वर (प्रातिपदिक) + पादप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: वरपादपाः प्रभग्नाः यस्याः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अशोकवनिका विशेषण

Context

Standing on the boundary wall, the great vanara contracted his body and observed the blossoms on several tree tops---- Salas, lovely Ashoka trees and blossoms of champak, uddalaka, naga, mangoes with their fruits crimson as the snout of a monkey, it being the beginning of Spring.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Aśoka-vanikā (Aśoka grove)

FAQs

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

Repetition reinforces ethical reflection: righteous aims do not remove the need for awareness, proportionality, and restraint in action.

What is the narrative situation?

A duplicated/continued presentation of the same descriptive simile about the grove’s battered condition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Persistence and overwhelming potency—qualities that, in dharmic framing, must be guided by discernment.