Shloka 37

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

तं तु गत्वा परं पारं समुद्रस्य नदीपतेः।ददर्शाश्रममेकान्ते रम्ये पुण्ये वनान्तरे।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ tu gatvā paraṃ pāraṃ samudrasya nadīpateḥ | dadarśāśramam ekānte ramye puṇye vanāntare ||

Translation

ولمّا عبر إلى الضفّة البعيدة من المحيط—سيّد الأنهار—أبصر أشرمًا (آشراما) منعزلًا، جميلًا مقدّسًا، في أعماق الغابة.

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• kṛṣṇa-ajina-dharam: wearing a black deerskin
• kṛṣṇa-ajina-dharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajina (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: कृष्णम् अजिनं धरति इति

• jaṭā-valkala-dhāriṇam: wearing matted hair and bark-cloth
• jaṭā-valkala-dhāriṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + valkala (प्रातिपदिक) + dhārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: जटां वल्कलं च धारयति

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• niyata-āhāram: of regulated diet
• niyata-āhāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: नियतः आहारः यस्य

• mārīcam: Mārīca
• mārīcam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper noun

• nāma: named
• nāma: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणार्थ-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नाम-निपात (quotative/namely)

• rākṣasam: a demon
• rākṣasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Ravana, the younger brother of Kubera, beheld that banyan tree called Subhadram ,which was a favoured resort of the sages bearing the ensignia of Garuda.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• ocean/sea (samudra, nadīpati)
• āśrama (hermitage)
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Āśramas symbolize dharma’s refuge—spaces of truth (satya), restraint, and sanctity set apart from worldly violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa crosses the ocean and comes upon a secluded, sacred hermitage in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse foregrounds the sanctity of the hermitage rather than a virtue of Rāvaṇa—highlighting the moral contrast between holy refuge and potential intrusion.