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

તે મનોહર ઝરણાં અને નિર્મળ સરોવરોને, તથા ધન-ધાન્યથી સમૃદ્ધ નગરોને સતત નિહાળતો રહ્યો—ઉત્તમ સ્ત્રીરત્નોથી શોભિત અને હાથી, ઘોડા તથા રથોથી ઘનઘોર ભરેલાં.

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.