Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 2
अशोकवनिकाविचारः
Survey of the Aśoka Grove and its Enchanted Landscape
स तु संहृष्टसर्वाङ्गः प्राकारस्थो महाकपिः।पुष्पिताग्रान्वसन्तादौ ददर्श विविधान् द्रुमान्।।।।सालानशोकान् भव्यांश्च चंपकांश्च सुपुष्पितान्।उद्दालकान्नागवृक्षांश्चूतान्कपिमुखानपि।।।।
sa tu saṃhṛṣṭasarvāṅgaḥ prākārastho mahākapiḥ |
puṣpitāgrān vasantādau dadarśa vividhān drumān ||
sālān aśokān bhavyāṃś ca campakāṃś ca supuṣpitān |
uddālakān nāgavṛkṣāṃś cūtān kapimukhān api ||
Auf der Umfassungsmauer stehend, sah der große Affe Hanumān, an allen Gliedern vor Freude erbebend, zu Beginn des Frühlings vielerlei Bäume mit blühenden Wipfeln: sāla und aśoka, prächtige campaka in voller Blüte, ebenso uddālaka, nāga-Bäume und Mangobäume, deren rötliche Früchte mit einer Affenschnauze verglichen wurden.
Shaken vigorously by Hanuman of great speed, the trees shed their blooms of variegated colours.
FAQs
The verse sets the scene for Hanumān’s dharmic mission—he enters a place of beauty not for enjoyment but to serve Rāma’s righteous purpose: locating Sītā and advancing truth and justice.
Hanumān, having entered Laṅkā, stands on the boundary wall and surveys the springtime trees of the Aśoka grove.
Focused vigilance (apramāda): Hanumān observes keenly and prepares to act with purpose rather than distraction.