Shloka 12

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

शीतमङ्गलतोयाभिः पद्मिनीभिस्समन्ततः।विशालैराश्रमपदैर्वेदिमद्भिस्समावृतम्।।।।

Transliteration

śītamaṅgalatoyābhiḥ padminībhiḥ samantataḥ |

viśālair āśramapadair vedimadbhiḥ samāvṛtam ||3.35.12||

Translation

ચારે તરફ શીતળ અને મંગલ જળથી ભરેલી પદ્મિનીઓથી, તેમજ વિશાળ આશ્રમસ્થાનો દ્વારા—વેદી સહિત—તે આવૃત હતું।

Word by Word

• śīta-maṅgala-toyābhiḥ: with cool, auspicious waters
• śīta-maṅgala-toyābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīta + maṅgala + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) — 'with waters that are cool and auspicious'

• padminībhiḥ: by lotus-ponds
• padminībhiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• samantataḥ: on all sides
• samantataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम् / Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) — 'on all sides'

• viśālaiḥ: with spacious (ones)
• viśālaiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) — agreeing with āśramapadaiḥ

• āśrama-padaiḥ: by hermitage-sites
• āśrama-padaiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'āśramasya padāni' (places of hermitages)

• vedi-madbhiḥ: with (those) having altars
• vedi-madbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vedi + mat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् — 'having altars'

• samāvṛtam: surrounded
• samāvṛtam: Karma (कर्म / Patient; implied 'it' as that which is surrounded)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√vṛ (वृञ्/वृ धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः — 'surrounded/covered'

Context

(The area) surrounded on all sides with lotus-laden ponds filled with cool, sacred water, sprawling hermitages with elevated altars.

Characters & Entities

• padminī (lotus-ponds)
• āśrama (hermitage)
• vedi (altar)

FAQs

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

The presence of āśramas and altars signals dharma as lived practice—discipline, ritual responsibility, and sanctified space. Such places embody satya and dharma through vows, hospitality, and spiritual striving.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration zooms in on a sacred landscape: lotus-ponds and hermitages with altars, suggesting a region protected by ascetic merit and religious order.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse highlights the virtue of the āśrama-world—purity, restraint, and sacred duty—rather than a single character’s trait.