Shloka 10

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

शुश्राव मधुरं गीतं त्रिस्थानस्वरभूषितम्।स्त्रीणां मदसमृद्धानां दिवि चाप्सरसामिव।।।।

Transliteration

śuśrāva madhuraṃ gītaṃ tristhānasvarabhūṣitam |

strīṇāṃ madasamṛddhānāṃ divi cāpsarasām iva ||5.4.10||

Translation

Er vernahm süßen Gesang, geschmückt mit wohlgesetzten Tönen in den drei Registern, gesungen von Frauen, vom Rausch der Freude erfüllt, gleich dem Gesang der Apsaras im Himmel.

Word by Word

• śuśrāva: heard
• śuśrāva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• madhuram: sweet, melodious
• madhuram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies gītam)

• gītam: song
• gītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (कृदन्त; √gai)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• tristhāna-svara-bhūṣitam: adorned with notes of three registers
• tristhāna-svara-bhūṣitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + svara (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त; √bhūṣ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); समासः: (tristhāna) कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः + (tristhānasvara) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः + bhūṣitam (past passive participle)

• strīṇām: of women
• strīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• mada-samṛddhānām: of those abounding in intoxication
• mada-samṛddhānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mada (प्रातिपदिक) + samṛddha (कृदन्त; √ṛdh with sam-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषणम् (qualifies strīṇām); समासः: तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mada-samṛddha = ‘enriched with intoxication’)

• divi: in heaven
• divi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• apsarasām: of apsarases
• apsarasām: Upamāna-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• iva: like, as if
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

Context

He heard melodious songs of intoxicated women set to tune in three places namely chest, throat and head and three pitches known as mandra (slow) madhya (medium) and tara (high). The songs resembled those of the apsarasas well set in musical notes set to music.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Apsarases (apsaras)

FAQs

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

Dharma in action as vigilance: Hanumān moves through a sensual environment without losing purpose, modeling disciplined attention amid distraction.

What is the narrative situation?

While moving through Laṅkā at night, Hanumān hears festive music from within residences, indicating the city’s revelry.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-mastery (saṃyama): he observes and continues the mission rather than being drawn into indulgence.