Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 18
अशोकवनिकाविचारः
Survey of the Aśoka Grove and its Enchanted Landscape
निर्धूतकेशी युवतिर्यथा मृदितवर्णका।निष्पीतशुभदन्तोष्ठी नखैर्दन्तैश्च विक्षता।।।।तथा लाङ्गूलहस्तैश्च चरणाभ्यां च मर्दिता।बभूवाशोकवनिका प्रभग्नवरपादपा।।।।
nirdhūtakeśī yuvatir yathā mṛditavarṇakā |
niṣpītaśubhadantoṣṭhī nakhair dantaiś ca vikṣatā ||
tathā lāṅgūlahastaiś ca caraṇābhyāṃ ca marditā |
babhūvāśokavanikā prabhagnavarapādapā ||
ハヌマーンの尾と手と足に踏み砕かれ、最上の樹々も折れたアショーカの林は、髪は乱れ、朱の印は擦り消え、白い歯と唇は口づけに傷み、爪と歯に身を掻き裂かれた若い女のように見えた。
The garden of Ashoka with trees shattered and crushed by Hanuman's tail, hands and feet, appeared like a woman with dishevelled hair, with her vermilion mark effaced, her bright teeth and lips faded for being kissed and wounded with nails and bitten with teeth (by her lover).
FAQs
It raises the dharmic question of force: even when acting for a righteous end, one must remain conscious of collateral harm. The epic often balances necessary strength with the ideal of restraint.
Hanumān’s vigorous movement and trampling break and crush parts of the Aśoka grove, and the narrator compares the grove’s disarray to a disheveled young woman.
Dauntless capability (śakti/vīrya), while implicitly inviting reflection on self-control (dama) within righteous action.