Shloka 15

प्रमदावनविध्वंसः | The Devastation of the Pleasure-Garden

Ashoka Vatika

Devanagari script

ततस्तु हनुमान्वीरो बभञ्ज प्रमदावनम्।मत्तद्विजसमाघुष्टं नानाद्रुमलतायुतम्।।।।

Transliteration

tatas tu hanumān vīro babhañja pramadāvanam |

mattadvija-samāghuṣṭaṃ nānā-druma-latā-yutam ||

Translation

അനന്തരം വീരനായ ഹനുമാൻ ആ പ്രമദാവനം തകർത്തു—മത്തപക്ഷികളുടെ കലരവം മുഴങ്ങുന്നതും, നാനാവിധ വൃക്ഷലതകളാൽ സമൃദ്ധമായതുമായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• tatas: then
• tatas: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; "then"

• tu: indeed
• tu: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय

• hanumān: Hanuman
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper noun

• vīraḥ: hero
• vīraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to hanumān

• babhāñja: destroyed
• babhāñja: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhañj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी—"broke/destroyed"

• pramadā-vanam: pleasure-garden
• pramadā-vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramadā + vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—प्रमदानां वनम् (women's pleasure-grove)

• matta-dvija-samāghuṣṭam: resounding with intoxicated birds
• matta-dvija-samāghuṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matta + dvija + samāghuṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—मत्तैः द्विजैः सम्यक् आघुष्टम् (resounding with intoxicated birds); आघुष्ट = √ghuṣ (PPP) with sam-ā-

• nānā-druma-latā-yutam: with many trees and creepers
• nānā-druma-latā-yutam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā + druma + latā + yuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; "endowed with various trees and creepers"

Context

That garden looked ugly with uprooted trees, breached ponds and powdered mountain peaks.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• pramadā-vana (pleasure garden)
• birds (dvija)

FAQs

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

It underscores that spaces built upon adharma (Rāvaṇa’s unlawful enjoyment) become legitimate sites of disruption when justice must be asserted; dharma may demand symbolic and strategic destruction.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān intensifies his rampage, breaking the pleasure-garden within/near Aśoka-vana to provoke the rākṣasa response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearlessness and strategic intent—his destruction is also a deliberate challenge to draw out enemies.