Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 43

अशोकवनिकाविचारः

Survey of the Aśoka Grove and its Enchanted Landscape

Devanagari script

अशोकवनिका चेयं दृढं रम्या दुरात्मनः।चम्पकैश्चन्दनैश्चापि वकुलैश्च विभूषिता।।।।

Transliteration

aśokavanikā ceyaṃ dṛḍhaṃ ramyā durātmanaḥ | campakaiś candanaiś cāpi vakulaiś ca vibhūṣitā ||

Translation

“อศोकวนิกานี้งามแท้แน่นอน ประดับด้วยต้นจำปกะ จันทน์ และวะกุละ แต่กลับเป็นของผู้ใจชั่วผู้นั้น (ทศกัณฐ์)”

Word by Word

• aśoka-vanikā: Aśoka-grove
• aśoka-vanikā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśoka (प्रातिपदिक) + vanikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strī-liṅga, Prathamā-vibhakti (1st/nominative), Eka-vacana; tatpuruṣa: aśokānāṃ vanikā (a grove of aśoka trees)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strī-liṅga, Prathamā (nominative), Eka-vacana; demonstrative pronoun

• dṛḍham: surely
• dṛḍham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage (accusative neuter used adverbially); emphasis adverb (निश्चयार्थ)

• ramyā: beautiful
• ramyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of aśokavanikā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strī-liṅga, Prathamā (nominative), Eka-vacana

• durātmanaḥ: of the wicked one
• durātmanaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ-liṅga (masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (6th/genitive), Eka-vacana

• campakaiḥ: with campaka trees/flowers
• campakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: campaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ-liṅga, Tṛtīyā-vibhakti (3rd/instrumental), Bahu-vacana (plural)

• candanaiḥ: with sandalwood (trees)
• candanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka-liṅga (neuter), Tṛtīyā (instrumental), Bahu-vacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (समुच्चय/अपि = also)

• vakulaiḥ: with bakula trees/flowers
• vakulaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃ-liṅga, Tṛtīyā (instrumental), Bahu-vacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• vibhūṣitā: adorned
• vibhūṣitā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + bhūṣ (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle; Strī-liṅga, Prathamā (nominative), Eka-vacana; agrees with aśokavanikā

Context

"Surely this beautiful Ashoka grove with delightful champak, chandan and bakula trees belongs to the wicked Ravana."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• campaka
• candana (sandalwood)
• vakula

FAQs

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

Dharma distinguishes inner moral worth from outward splendor: even a lovely place can be tied to adharma when possessed or used by a wicked ruler.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān recognizes the grove’s beauty and concludes it is part of Rāvaṇa’s domain within Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment: Hanumān does not get captivated by beauty; he assesses ownership and ethical context.