Shloka 42

हनूमद्विक्रम-प्रशंसा तथा महेन्द्रारोहणम्

Hanuman’s Self-Assertion of Power and Ascent of Mount Mahendra

Devanagari script

ततस्तं मारुतप्रख्यस्सहरिर्मारुतात्मजः।।4.67.40।।आरुरोह नगश्रेष्ठं महेन्द्रमरिमर्दनः।वृतं नानाविधैः वृक्षैर्मृगसेवितशाद्वलम्।।4.67.41।।लताकुसुमसम्बाधं नित्यपुष्पफलद्रुमम्।सिंहशार्दूलचरितं मत्तमातङ्गसेवितम्।।4.67.42।।मत्तद्विजगणोद्घुष्टं सलिलोत्पीडसङ्कुलम्।

Transliteration

latākusumasambādhaṃ nityapuṣpaphaladrumam |

siṃhaśārdūlacaritaṃ mattamātaṅgasevitam || 4.67.42 ||

mattadvijagaṇodghuṣṭaṃ salilotpīḍasaṅkulam |

Translation

Jener Berg war dicht von Ranken und Blüten, voller Bäume, die stets Blüten und Früchte trugen; dort streiften Löwen und Tiger umher, und brünstige Elefanten suchten ihn auf; er hallte wider vom Ruf frohlockender Vogelscharen und war erfüllt vom Sprühnebel und Drängen herabstürzender Wasser.

Word by Word

• लताकुसुमसम्बाधम्: dense with creepers and flowers
• लताकुसुमसम्बाधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लता (प्रातिपदिक) + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्बाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to महेन्द्रम्

• नित्यपुष्पफलद्रुमम्: having trees ever with flowers and fruits
• नित्यपुष्पफलद्रुमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to महेन्द्रम्; अर्थः: नित्यं पुष्पफलयुक्ता द्रुमाः यस्मिन्

• सिंहशार्दूलचरितम्: roamed by lions and tigers
• सिंहशार्दूलचरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to महेन्द्रम्; अर्थः: सिंहशार्दूलैः चरितम् (frequented/roamed)

• मत्तमातङ्गसेवितम्: inhabited by intoxicated elephants
• मत्तमातङ्गसेवितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मातङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवित (सेव् धातु + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण to महेन्द्रम्; अर्थः: मत्तैः मातङ्गैः सेवितम्

Context

The son of Maruta, who was as eminent as the Windgod, the crusher of enemies ascended the great mountain Mahendra, full of grassland inhabited by deer, thickly grown with various trees and creepers full of fragrant flowers and fruits, where roam lions and tigers and proud elephants, a place that echoes with sounds of intoxicated birds and waterfalls.

Characters & Entities

• Mahendra
• Hanuman
• Maruta

FAQs

How does this verse connect to Dharma in the Kishkindha Kanda narrative?

By portraying Mahendra as a formidable yet life-filled landscape, the verse frames Hanuman’s ascent as a purposeful, disciplined movement toward a righteous mission—service to Rama and the search for Sita—showing dharma as action undertaken with steadiness amid danger.

Where is Satya (truth) reflected in this descriptive passage?

Satya appears as faithful narration: the text presents the terrain as it is—dense, wild, and powerful—without embellishing the moral stakes; this truthful depiction supports the ethical clarity of the mission by grounding it in reality.