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Shloka 58

पुष्पकविमानवर्णनम्

Description of the Pushpaka Vimana and Ravana’s Inner Palace

रावणाननशङ्काश्च काश्चिद्रावणयोषितः।मुखानि स्म सपत्नीनामुपाजिघ्रन्पुनः पुनः।।5.9.58।।

rāvaṇānanaśaṅkāś ca kāścid rāvaṇayoṣitaḥ | mukhāni sma sapatnīnām upājighran punaḥ punaḥ || 5.9.58 ||

Einige Frauen Rāvaṇas, es für Rāvaṇas Antlitz haltend, beschnupperten immer wieder die Gesichter ihrer Mitgattinnen.

rāvaṇa-ānana-śaṅkāḥmistaking (them) for Ravana's face
rāvaṇa-ānana-śaṅkāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootrāvaṇa+ānana+śaṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: rāvaṇasya ānanam iti śaṅkā yāsām (thinking it to be Ravana's face)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction/particle (समुच्चय/निपात)
kāścitsome (women)
kāścit:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); indefinite pronoun (कश्चित्-प्रयोग)
rāvaṇa-yoṣitaḥRavana's wives
rāvaṇa-yoṣitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootrāvaṇa+yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: rāvaṇasya yoṣitaḥ (Ravana's women/wives)
mukhānifaces/mouths
mukhāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
smaindeed/then (particle)
sma:
Kriyā-dyotaka (क्रियाद्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsma (अव्यय)
FormParticle indicating past narration/emphasis (स्म-निपात)
sapatnīnāmof co-wives
sapatnīnām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootsapatnī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
upājighransmelled
upājighran:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootghrā (धातु) + upa + ā
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
punaḥagain
punaḥ:
Āvṛtti (आवृत्ति)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
punaḥagain and again
punaḥ:
Āvṛtti (आवृत्ति)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय), repetition for emphasis

Some women of Ravana (overcome by blind passion) smelt again and again the mouths of their co-wives next to them assuming it to be Ravana's.

H
Hanuman
R
Ravana

FAQs

It highlights the loss of discernment caused by obsession (āsakti): dharma requires clarity and self-governance; uncontrolled passion leads to confusion and undignified conduct.

In sleep and intoxicated attachment, some co-wives mistake one another for Ravana and act under delusion.

By contrast, the virtue emphasized is viveka (discernment), implicitly upheld by Hanumān and the dharmic narrative stance.