Shloka 7

अशोकवनिकायां सीतादर्शनम्

Sita Seen in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

सन्तानकलताभिश्च पादपैरुपशोभिताम्।दिव्यगन्धरसोपेतां सर्वतस्समलङ्कृताम्।।5.15.2।।तां स नन्दनसङ्काशां मृगपक्षिभिरावृताम्।हर्म्यप्रासादसम्बाधां कोकिलाकुलनिस्स्वनाम्।।5.15.3।।काञ्चनोत्पलपद्माभिर्वापीभिरुपशोभिताम्।बह्वासनकुथोपेतां बहुभूमिगृहायुताम्।।5.15.4।।सर्वर्तुकुसुमै रम्यां फलवद्भिश्च पादपैः।पुष्पितानामशोकानां श्रिया सूर्योदयप्रभाम्।।5.15.5।।प्रदीप्तामिव तत्रस्थो मारुतिस्समुदैक्षत।निष्पत्रशाखां विहगैः क्रियमाणामिवासकृत्।।5.15.6।।विनिष्पतद्भिः शतशश्चित्रैः पुष्पावतंसकैः।आमूलपुष्पनिचितैरशोकैश्शोकनाशनैः।।5.15.7।।पुष्पभारातिभारैश्च स्पृशद्भिरिव मेदिनीम्।कर्णिकारैः कुसुमितैः किंशुकैश्च सुपुष्पितैः।।5.15.8।।

Transliteration

viniṣpatadbhiḥ śataśaś citraiḥ puṣpāvataṃsakaiḥ |

āmūlapuṣpanicitair aśokaiḥ śokanāśanaiḥ ||5.15.7||

Translation

Māruti erblickte die Aśoka-Bäume, die den Kummer vertreiben, bis zum Stammfuß mit Blüten bedeckt; und Hunderte bunt schillernder Vögel schossen umher wie blumige Zierden des Hains.

Word by Word

viniṣpatadbhiḥby (things) flying out/falling out

śataśaḥin hundreds

citraiḥvariegated/colorful

puṣpa-avataṃsakaiḥwith flower-ornaments

ā-mūla-puṣpa-nicitaiḥheaped with flowers up to the base

aśokaiḥwith aśoka trees

śoka-nāśanaiḥsorrow-dispelling

Context

Hanuman surveyed from the Simsupa tree the Ashoka grove of trees full of fine fragrance. It looked welldecorated like the Nandana garden of Indra. It teemed with animals and birds. It was filled with the voices of the cuckoos. It had tall mansions and underground chamber. There were golden lilies and lotuses in the lakes, enchanting couches with rich coverings and trees full of blossoms of all seasons and fruits in abundance With the Ashoka tree shedding showers of flowers from time to time the place shone with the splendour of Sunrise. It glittered like inflamed fire. The Ashoka tree had hundreds of colourful birds on the branches. It appeared as if it had branches without leaves which made them look like earornaments (of the grove). Ashoka flowers in bloom hung down to the base of the tree as if to take away the grief of the onlookers. The blossoms of the Karnikara and kimsuka brightened the whole grove.

Characters & Entities

Māruti (Hanumān)

Aśoka (tree/grove)

Birds (vihagāḥ)

Puṣpa (flowers)

FAQs

How does this verse connect to Dharma in Sundarakāṇḍa?

By portraying the Aśoka grove as “śoka-nāśana” (sorrow-dispelling), the verse frames Hanumān’s search as a dharmic mission to relieve Sītā’s grief and restore righteous order—beauty here supports the ethical goal of rescue and reassurance.

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

Satya appears implicitly through Hanumān’s truthful perception and careful observation: he must see the grove exactly as it is to locate Sītā and later report faithfully to Rāma—accurate seeing and accurate telling are key supports of satya in the narrative.