Shloka 12

अशोकवनिकाविचारः

Survey of the Aśoka Grove and its Enchanted Landscape

Devanagari script

दिशस्सर्वाः प्रधावन्तं वृक्षषण्डगतं कपिम्।दृष्ट्वा सर्वाणि भूतानि वसन्त इति मेनिरे।।।।

Transliteration

diśaḥ sarvāḥ pradhāvantaṃ vṛkṣa-ṣaṇḍa-gataṃ kapim | dṛṣṭvā sarvāṇi bhūtāni vasanta iti menire ||

Translation

മരക്കൂട്ടങ്ങൾക്കിടയിൽ എല്ലാ ദിക്കുകളിലേക്കും പാഞ്ഞോടുന്ന കപിയെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ അവിടെയുള്ള സകല ജീവികളും “ഇത് വസന്തം തന്നെയാകുന്നു” എന്നു കരുതി.

Word by Word

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative sense: directions as domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: विशेषण (Qualifier of दिशः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• प्रधावन्तम्: running swiftly
• प्रधावन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; qualifies कपिम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-धाव् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयुक्त (used as object-qualifier)

• वृक्ष-षण्ड-गतम्: gone into a grove of trees
• वृक्ष-षण्ड-गतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; qualifier of कपिम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + षण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (गम् धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative): वृक्षषण्डे गतः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कपिम् विशेषयति

• कपिम्: the monkey (Hanuman)
• कपिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial; prior action to मेनिरे)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: विशेषण (Qualifier of भूतानि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतानि विशेषयति

• भूतानि: living beings
• भूतानि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of मेनिरे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वसन्तः: spring
• वसन्तः: कर्म (Karma/Content of thinking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इति-उक्तिविषय (content of thought)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• मेनिरे: they thought
• मेनिरे: क्रिया (Verb; action of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

Beholding that sprightly monkey running in all directions, its body covered with variegated blossoms fallen from the trees, all living beings there thought that it was Spring personified

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Aśoka-vana (implied)
• Spring (Vasanta)

FAQs

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

Dharma is suggested through auspicious omens: nature perceives Hanumān’s righteous movement as life-giving, like spring—an emblem that right action renews hope.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān’s swift movements in the grove create such a blossoming, lively scene that the creatures mistake him for Spring personified.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Energy in service—vigorous effort directed toward a truthful goal.