Shloka 5

प्रमदावनविध्वंसः | The Devastation of the Pleasure-Garden

Ashoka Vatika

Devanagari script

कार्ये कर्मणि निर्दिष्टे यो बहून्यपि साधयेत्।पूर्वकार्याविरोधेन स कार्यं कर्तुमर्हति।।।।

Transliteration

kārye karmaṇi nirdiṣṭe yo bahūny api sādhayet |

pūrvakāryāvirodhena sa kāryaṃ kartum arhati ||

Translation

നിർദ്ദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ട കര്‍മത്തിൽ, മുൻകാർയത്തെ തടസ്സപ്പെടുത്താതെ മറ്റു പല ലക്ഷ്യങ്ങളും സാധിപ്പിക്കാൻ കഴിയുന്നവനാണ് കര്‍മം ചെയ്യാൻ യോജ്യൻ.

Word by Word

• कार्ये: in/with regard to the task (to be done)
• कार्ये: अधिकरण (Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमीविभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative case, Singular)

• कर्मणि: in the action/work
• कर्मणि: अधिकरण (Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमीविभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative case, Singular)

• निर्दिष्टे: when/where (it is) assigned/entrusted
• निर्दिष्टे: अधिकरण (qualifying the locative context)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → निर्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमीविभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative, Singular) — कार्ये/कर्मणि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• बहूनि: many (things/tasks)
• बहूनि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Neuter, Accusative, Plural) — (कर्म) साधयेत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle; ‘even/also’)

• साधयेत्: should accomplish/bring about
• साधयेत्: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: साध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• पूर्वकार्याविरोधेन: without conflicting with the earlier task
• पूर्वकार्याविरोधेन: करण (Instrument/means; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विरोध (प्रातिपदिक) + अविरोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: पूर्वकार्यस्य अविरोधः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘non-opposition to the earlier task’; तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental, Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• कार्यम्: the task/work
• कार्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: प्रयोजन/क्रियार्थ (purpose; complements ‘arhati’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → कर्तुम्
• Form: तुमुनन्तः (Infinitive); क्रियार्थक-अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (used as verbal noun ‘to do’)

• अर्हति: is fit/deserves/ought
• अर्हति: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present Indicative), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

Context

'He, who can perform tasks in addition to the objective accomplished without affecting it, is really worthy.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Dharma is intelligent duty-fulfilment: one should keep the primary obligation intact while skillfully achieving secondary goods that support the righteous goal.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān weighs how to act in Laṅkā so that any additional actions (like testing enemy strength) do not compromise his main mission of serving Rāma and Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Competent stewardship (dakṣatā): the ability to expand outcomes without betraying the entrusted purpose.