Shloka 19
लङ्काप्रवेशः
Hanuman Enters Lanka and Encounters Laṅkā-devatā
तां रत्नवसनोपेतां कोष्ठागारावतंसकाम्।यन्त्रागारस्तनीमृद्धां प्रमदामिव भूषिताम्।।5.3.18।।तां नष्टतिमिरां दीप्तैर्भास्वरैश्च महागृहैः।नगरीं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य स ददर्श महाकपिः।।5.3.19।।
tāṃ ratnavasanopetāṃ koṣṭhāgārāvataṃsakām | yantrāgārastanīmṛddhāṃ pramadām iva bhūṣitām ||
tāṃ naṣṭatimirāṃ dīptair bhāsvaraiś ca mahāgṛhaiḥ | nagarīṃ rākṣasendrasya sa dadarśa mahākapiḥ ||
Der große Vānara erblickte die Stadt des rākṣasa-Königs: strahlend von mächtigen, leuchtenden Palästen, die die Finsternis vertrieben, geschmückt wie eine reich geputzte Jungfrau.
Hanuman looked at the city of the demon king, whose darkness was dispelled by bright gems and mighty mansions as if it were a young maiden. The prosperous city was like a well decorated woman, adorned with ornaments having walls for her dress, the stables for her earrings, the armouries for her breasts.
FAQs
The verse reinforces viveka (moral discernment): one must not be misled by ornament and prosperity when the moral center (dharma) is absent.
This reiterates the depiction of Laṅkā’s dazzling cityscape as Hanumān takes it in while proceeding with his mission.
Ekāgratā (single-pointed focus): despite sensory magnificence, Hanumān remains oriented toward Sītā-search and Rāma’s purpose.