Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 10, Shloka 25
रावणान्तःपुरे शयनदर्शनम्
Hanumān Observes Rāvaṇa’s Inner Apartments and Sleeping Court
मुक्तामणिविचित्रेण काञ्चनेन विराजितम्।मकुटेनापवृत्तेन कुण्डलोज्वलिताननम्।।।।रक्तचन्दनदिग्धेन तथा हारेण शोभिना।पीनायतविशालेन वक्षसाऽभिविराजितम्।।।।पाण्डरेणापविद्धेन क्षौमेण क्षतजेक्षणम्।महार्हेण सुसंवीतं पीतेनोत्तमवाससा।।।।माषराशिप्रतीकाशं निश्श्वसन्तं भुजङ्गवत्।गाङ्गे महति तोयान्ते प्रसुप्तमिव कुञ्जरम्।।।।चतुर्भिः काञ्चनैर्दीपैद्धीप्यमानचतुर्दिशम्।प्रकाशीकृतसर्वाङ्गं मेघं विद्युद्गणैरिव।।।।पादमूलगताश्चापि ददर्श सुमहात्मनः।पत्नी: स प्रियभार्यस्य तस्य रक्षःपतेर्गृहे।।।।
muktāmaṇivicitreṇa kāñcanena virājitam |
makuṭenāpavṛttena kuṇḍalojvalitānanam ||
raktacandanadigdhena tathā hāreṇa śobhinā |
pīnāyataviśālena vakṣasā 'bhivirājitam ||
pāṇḍareṇāpaviddhena kṣaumeṇa kṣatajekṣaṇam |
mahārheṇa susaṃvītaṃ pītenottamavāsasā ||
māṣarāśipratīkāśaṃ niśśvasantaṃ bhujaṅgavat |
gāṅge mahati toyānte prasuptam iva kuñjaram ||
caturbhiḥ kāñcanair dīpair dīpyamānacaturdiśam |
prakāśīkṛtasarvāṅgaṃ meghaṃ vidyudgaṇair iva ||
pādamūlagatāś cāpi dadarśa sumahātmanaḥ |
patnīḥ sa priyabhāryasya tasya rakṣaḥpater gṛhe ||
Hanumān sah Rāvaṇa in seinem Palast — glänzend von Gold, geschmückt mit Perlen und Edelsteinen. Seine Krone war zur Seite gerutscht, und sein Antlitz leuchtete von den Ohrringen. Mit roter Sandelpaste bestrichen und mit einer prächtigen Halskette geziert, strahlte seine breite, volle Brust. Seine Augen waren blutrot; ein weißes Leinentuch war etwas verrutscht, doch er war wohl bedeckt mit einem kostbaren gelben Gewand. Dunkel wie ein Haufen schwarzer Bohnen, atmete er schwer wie eine Schlange und schlief wie ein Elefant am Ufer der großen Gaṅgā. Vier goldene Lampen brannten ringsum und erhellten die vier Himmelsrichtungen; sein ganzer Leib war sichtbar, wie eine Wolke, von Blitzen durchzuckt. Hanumān erblickte auch die geliebten Gemahlinnen jenes großen Herrn der Rākṣasas, die zu seinen Füßen in seinem Hause lagen.
Hanuman saw Ravana, whose face was lit up by his ear-rings. His shining head-gear studded with gold and pearls was set aside. His fleshy, broad chest on which the pearl necklace had slightly receded from its position(as he was asleep) was shining along with the red sandal paste. He had put on a splendid white silken cloth which had also slipped a little and was covered with exquisitely rich yellow upper garment. His eyes were blood-red. His body was comparable to a heap of blackbeans. He was sighing heavily like a hissing snake. He appeared like an elephant sleeping on the banks of the great river Ganges. With four golden lamps glowing on four sides of the bed,the four directions were illuminated. All his limbs lit up bright (with the glow of lamps), he looked like a cloud with streaks of lightning. His dear wives were seen resting at his feet in the palace of the lord of demons.
FAQs
Hanumān acts according to his mission and maryādā: he is in Laṅkā to find Sītā and gather intelligence, not to initiate a personal act of violence that could endanger the larger dharmic objective.
The verse presents an unembellished, detailed observation of Rāvaṇa’s state—his ornaments, posture, and surroundings—serving narrative truthfulness (satya) that grounds later ethical judgments in witnessed reality rather than rumor.