Shloka 21

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

निर्यासरसमूलानां चन्दनानां सहस्रशः।वनानि पश्यन्सौम्यानि घ्राणतृप्तिकराणि च।।।।

Transliteration

niryāsarasamūlānāṁ candanānāṁ sahasraśaḥ |

vanāni paśyan saumyāni ghrāṇatṛptikarāṇi ca ||

Translation

Vio, por millares, bosques de sándalos cuyos troncos exudaban savia fragante: suaves y gratos, capaces de colmar el sentido del olfato.

Word by Word

• निर्यास-रस-मूलानाम्: of (those) having resin/juice at the roots
• निर्यास-रस-मूलानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्यास + रस + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासान्त-विशेषण (genitive plural adjective qualifying चन्दनानाम्)

• चन्दनानाम्: of sandalwood (trees)
• चन्दनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (plural)

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकार/परिमाण-अव्यय (adverb of manner/number)

• वनानि: forests/woods
• वनानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural)

• पश्यन्: seeing
• पश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा एकवचन (nom. sg.), पुंलिङ्ग (masc.)—कर्तरि प्रयोग (agent-participle)

• सौम्यानि: pleasant, delightful
• सौम्यानि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (qualifies वनानि)

• घ्राण-तृप्ति-कराणि: giving satisfaction to the smell
• घ्राण-तृप्ति-कराणि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घ्राण + तृप्ति + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण (qualifies वनानि)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Context

He saw thousands of tree trunks with fine-smelling resins and sandalwood trees.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• candana (sandalwood)

FAQs

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

The verse indirectly supports the Ramayana’s dharmic lens: nature’s abundance is portrayed as orderly and nourishing, yet the moral weight depends on the traveler’s intent—beauty does not sanctify unrighteous purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa continues his journey and observes richly fragrant sandalwood forests, adding vivid environmental detail to the travel sequence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A cultivated perception (attentiveness to the world), though the epic often juxtaposes such sensitivity with ethical failing when desire overrules dharma.