Sundarakanda Sarga 41: Hanuman Destroys the Ashoka Grove (Full Text & Meaning) 

Summary of Sarga 41

| Detail | Total Shlokas: 21 | Primary Character: Hanumān | Key Events: Hanūmad-Viciṁtanam (Hanuman's deliberation), Pramadavana-Bhañjanam (Destruction of the garden), Tōraṇa-Sthitā (Stationed at the archway) | Location: Ashoka Vatika, Lanka | 

Section 1: Hanumān’s Strategic Deliberation (Shlokas 1–9)

sa ca vāgbhiḥ praśastābhirgamiṣyan pūjitastayā | tasmāddēśādapakramya cintayāmāsa vānaraḥ || 1

Hanumān, having been honored by her with words of praise, prepared to depart. Having withdrawn from that very spot (where he had spoken to Sītā), he began to contemplate. (1)

alpaśēṣamidaṅ kāryaṅ dṛṣṭēyamasitēkṣaṇā | trīnupāyānatikramya caturtha: iha vidyatē || 2

Since the Sītā Devi has been found, the most difficult part of my mission is complete. Now, having seen that the initial three diplomatic approaches—conciliation, gift, and sowing dissension—are not suitable for dealing with Rāvaṇa, the fourth means of policy, which is Punishment (or Force), is the only one left and is appropriate for me to employ here in Lankā. (2)

na sāma rakṣassu guṇāya kalpatē na dānamarthōpacitēṣu yujyatē | na bhēdasādhyā baladarpitā janāḥ parākramastvēva mamēha rōcatē || 3

Conciliation (diplomacy) is useless for Rākṣasas. The giving of gifts is not appropriate for those who are already wealthy. Sowing dissension will not subdue people puffed up by strength. Therefore, here, only the use of my valor is agreeable. (3)

na cāsya kāryasya parākramādṛtē viniścayaḥ kaścidihōpapadyatē | hatapravīrā hi raṇē hi rākṣasāḥ kathañcidīyuryadihādya mārdavam || 4

The truth is, no decisive success for this mission can be achieved here without the use of force. Only if the Rākṣasas have their chief warriors destroyed in battle might they then, at last, show some measure of submission. (4)

kāryē karmaṇi nirdiṣṭē yō bahūnyapi sādhayēt | pūrvakāryāvirōdhēna sa kāryaṅ kartumarhati || 5

A person who is assigned a single principal duty, yet manages to achieve multiple supplementary goals without ever hindering the original objective, is the truly competent individual worthy of carrying out the work. (5)

na hyēkassādhakō hētussvalpasyāpīha karmaṇaḥ | yō hyarthaṅ bahudhā vēda sa samarthō.rthasādhanē || 6

Indeed, in any endeavor, even a minor one, no single course of action is sufficient for success. The individual who understands the objective and is capable of employing diverse methods is the one truly equipped to achieve the desired goal. (6)

ihaiva tāvatkṛtaniścayō hyahaṅ yadi vrajēyaṅ plavagēśvarālayam | parātmasammardaviśēṣatattvavit tataḥ kṛtaṅ syānmama bhartṛśāsanam || 7

Hanumān resolves that his king Sugrīva‘s command is only fully executed if he returns with both Sītā's message and precise intelligence on the enemy's strength and weaknesses. (7)

kathaṅ nu khalvadya bhavētsukhāgataṅ prasahya yuddhaṅ mama rākṣasaiḥ saha | tathaiva khalvātmabalaṅ ca sāravat sammānayēnmāṅ ca raṇē daśānanaḥ || 8

I must provoke a successful battle with the Rākṣasas through a forceful assault today. And I need to find the means by which Daśānana (Rāvaṇa) will be forced to accurately estimate my true and substantial strength in battle. (8)

tatassamāsādya raṇē daśānanaṅ samantrivargaṅ sabalaprayāyinam | hṛdi sthitaṅ tasya mataṅ balaṅ ca vai sukhēna mattvā.hamitaḥ punarvrajē || 9

Then, having confronted Daśānana in battle, along with his ministers and his advancing army, and having thereby easily ascertained his resolve, his overall military strength, and the true extent of his arrogance, I shall then happily return from here. (9)

Section 3: The Garden Laid to Waste (Shlokas 16–21)

tadvanaṅ mathitairvṛkṣairbhinnaiśca salilāśayaiḥ | cūrṇitaiḥ parvatāgraiśca babhūvāpriyadarśanam || 16

That Pramadavana/Ashoka Vatika, with its trees crushed, its reservoirs shattered, and its ornamental hillocks and peaks pulverized, became a terrible and appalling sight to behold. (16)

nānāśakuntavirutaiḥ prabhinnaissalilāśayaiḥ | tāmraiḥ kisalayaiḥ klāntaiḥ klāntadrumalatāyutam || 17 na babhau tadvanaṅ tatra dāvānalahataṅ yathā | vyākulāvaraṇā rējurvihvalā iva tā latāḥ || 18

The garden, with its water reservoirs shattered, was silenced of the diverse sounds of birds. Strewn with withered, copper-colored young leaves, and its trees and vines exhausted and broken, that place lost all its luster, appearing as if it had been ravaged by a great forest fire. The vines, with their supports and coverings torn away, lay scattered, appearing as distraught and bewildered women. (17–18)

latāgṛhaiścitragṛhaiśca nāśitaiḥ mahōragairvyālamṛgaiśca nirdhutaiḥ | śilāgṛhairunmathitaistathā gṛhaiḥ praṇaṣṭarūpaṅ tadabhūnmahadvanam || 19

With its bowers of vines and its painted pavilions destroyed, with its enormous serpents and wild beasts scattered, and with its stone buildings and other structures completely torn down, that great forest (the Pramadavana) became utterly devoid of its original form. (19)

sā vihvalā.śōkalatāpratānā vanasthalī śōkalatāpratānā | jātā daśāsyapramadāvanasya kapērbalāddhi pramadāvanasya || 20

By the sheer power of the Hanumān, that pleasure garden of Rāvaṇa—the Pramadavana—was violently ravaged and converted into a place entirely covered with the spreading creepers of sorrow. (20)

sa tasya kṛtvārthapatērmahākapiḥ mahadvyalīkaṅ manasō mahātmanaḥ | yuyutsurēkō bahubhirmahābalaiḥ śriyā jvalaṅstōraṇamāsthitaḥ kapiḥ || 21

The mahākapi, having thus caused a great personal affront to the great-souled lord of wealth (Rāvaṇa) by destroying his cherished garden, positioned himself upon the main archway. He stood there alone, blazing with power, ready and eager to fight against the many mighty Rākṣasas. (21)

ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde ēkacatvāriṁśassargaḥ