Shloka 5.15.5
अशोकवनिकायां सीतादर्शनम् (Sita Seen in the Ashoka Grove)
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।।
iyaṁ sā yatkṛte rāmaś caturbhiḥ paritapyate |
kāruṇyenānṛśaṁsyena śokena madanena ca ||5.15.49||
strī praṇaṣṭeti kāruṇyād āśritety ānṛśaṁsyataḥ |
patnī naṣṭeti śokena priyeti madanena ca ||5.15.50||
She is that very woman for whose sake Rāma is tormented by fourfold suffering—compassion, gentle mercy, grief, and love. He feels compassion thinking, “A woman is lost”; tender mercy thinking, “One who sought refuge is lost”; grief thinking, “My wife is lost”; and love thinking, “My beloved is lost.”
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.
Dharma is expressed as righteous love governed by compassion and responsibility: Rāma’s suffering is not mere desire, but includes mercy toward a vulnerable woman, protection of a dependent, and fidelity to his wife—an ethical, duty-centered devotion.
After locating Sītā in the Aśoka grove, Hanumān recognizes her and reflects on how intensely and virtuously Rāma has been suffering in separation.
Rāma’s anṛśaṁsya (gentle non-cruelty) and steadfast marital dharma; also Hanumān’s discernment in recognizing Sītā and understanding the moral texture of Rāma’s grief.