Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 11

अशोकवनिकाविचारः

Survey of the Aśoka Grove and its Enchanted Landscape

Devanagari script

पुष्पावकीर्णश्शुशुभे हनुमान् मारुतात्मजः।अशोकवनिकामध्ये यथा पुष्पमयो गिरिः।।।।

Transliteration

puṣpāvakīrṇaḥ śuśubhe hanumān mārutātmajaḥ | aśoka-vanikā-madhye yathā puṣpa-mayo giriḥ ||

Translation

ಪುಷ್ಪಗಳಿಂದ ಆವೃತನಾದ ಮಾರುತಾತ್ಮಜ ಹನುಮಾನ್ ಅಶೋಕವನಿಕೆಯ ಮಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುಷ್ಪಮಯ ಪರ್ವತದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

• puṣpa-ava-kīrṇaḥ: covered with flowers
• puṣpa-ava-kīrṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ava-kīrṇa (कृदन्त from √kṝ/√kīr?; here √kṝ/√kīr 'to scatter' with अव उपसर्ग; क्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तत्पुरुष-समास (पुष्पैः अवकीर्णः = covered with flowers); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP

• śuśubhe: shone
• śuśubhe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śubh (धातु; लिट्/लुङ्? here लिट्-रूपम्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 3rd person singular perfect (shone)

• hanumān: Hanuman
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; Nominative singular

• māruta-ātmajaḥ: son of the Wind-god
• māruta-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māruta (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तत्पुरुष-समास (मारुतस्य आत्मजः)

• aśoka-vanikā-madhye: in the middle of the Aśoka grove
• aśoka-vanikā-madhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśoka (प्रातिपदिक) + vanikā (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (अधिकरण); तत्पुरुष-समास (अशोकवनिकायाः मध्ये)

• yathā: like / as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/तुलना-अव्यय; indeclinable of comparison (as/like)

• puṣpa-mayaḥ: made of / full of flowers
• puṣpa-mayaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; तत्पुरुष (पुष्पैः मयः = consisting of flowers)

• giriḥ: mountain
• giriḥ: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; Nominative singular

Context

Covered with flowers, Hanuman shone like a mountain of flowers in the midst of Ashoka grove.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Māruta (Wind-god)
• Aśoka-vana (Aśoka grove)

FAQs

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

Dharma as divine support for righteous service: Hanumān’s radiance and auspicious surroundings symbolize the moral rightness of his mission to restore truth and justice.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, moving within Aśoka-vana, becomes covered in flowers shaken loose, creating a vivid auspicious image.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tejas (spiritual-moral radiance) arising from selfless service.