Shloka 25

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

प्रस्रवाणि मनोज्ञानि प्रसन्नानि ह्रदानि च।धनधान्योपपन्नानि स्त्रीरत्नैश्शोभितानि च।।।।हस्त्यश्वरथगाढानि नगराण्यवलोकयन्।

Transliteration

prasravāṇi manojñāni prasannāni hradāni ca |

dhanadhānyopapannāni strīratnaiś śobhitāni ca ||

hastyaśvarathagāḍhāni nagarāṇy avalokayan |

Translation

Il ne cessait de contempler des cascades ravissantes et des lacs limpides, ainsi que des cités riches de biens et de grains, ornées de femmes d’exception et pleines d’éléphants, de chevaux et de chars.

Word by Word

• prasravāṇi: waterfalls/springs
• prasravāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasrava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• manojñāni: delightful
• manojñāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manojña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण to prasravāṇi/hradāni/nagarāṇi (contextual)

• prasannāni: clear/pleasant
• prasannāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण

• hradāni: lakes/ponds
• hradāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hrada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• dhana-dhānya-upapannāni: endowed with wealth and grain
• dhana-dhānya-upapannāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + dhānya (प्रातिपदिक) + upapanna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (dhana+dhānya) as prior member + उपपन्न (ppp of √pad 'to go/attain' with उप-; 'endowed with'); बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; विशेषण to nagarāṇi (and/or other neuter plurals)

• strī-ratnaiḥ: by excellent women
• strī-ratnaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('jewels among women' = excellent women); तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (ratna)

• śobhitāni: adorned
• śobhitāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śubh (धातु) + śobhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• hasti-aśva-ratha-gāḍhāni: crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots
• hasti-aśva-ratha-gāḍhāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasti (प्रातिपदिक) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक) + gāḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (hasti+aśva+ratha) as prior member + गाढ (thickly filled); बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; विशेषण to nagarāṇi

• nagarāṇi: cities
• nagarāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• avalokayan: seeing/observing
• avalokayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + √lok (धातु) + avalokayan (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले परस्मैपदी शतृ (present active participle), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तरि प्रयोग; (he) 'while seeing'

Context

He went watching fascinating waterfalls, pleasing ponds, cities filled with wealth and grain, looking splendid with beautiful women and full of elephants, horses and chariots.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• nagara (city)
• aśva (horse)
• ratha (chariot)

FAQs

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

Prosperity and civic splendor are shown as features of an ordered world; dharma asks that such prosperity be protected and enjoyed without harm, coercion, or exploitation—an implied contrast to adharma-driven conquest.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa observes landscapes and thriving cities while traveling, building a sense of scale and opulence around his route.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse is descriptive; by implication it highlights the ideal of well-governed abundance—cities flourishing with resources and strength.