Shloka 4.58.20

सम्पातिवाक्यम् (Sampāti’s Counsel and the Revelation of Laṅkā)

Devanagari script

इतो द्वीपस्समुद्रस्य सम्पूर्णे शतयोजने।तस्मिन्लङ्कापुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा।।4.58.20।।

Transliteration

ito dvīpaḥ samudrasya sampūrṇe śatayojane |

tasmin laṅkāpurī ramyā nirmitā viśvakarmaṇā || 4.58.20 ||

Translation

From here, across the sea, lies an island a full hundred yojanas away; upon it stands the lovely city of Laṅkā, built by Viśvakarman.

Context

'The beautiful city of Lanka is an island, a hundred yojanas away from here.It was built by Visvakarma.

Characters & Entities

• Samudra (sea)
• Laṅkā
• Viśvakarman

FAQs

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

Dharma in action requires accurate knowledge: truthful geographic and logistical details support righteous effort rather than impulsive action.

What is the narrative situation?

Sampāti gives the monkeys the distance and nature of Laṅkā’s location—an island across the sea—enabling the next step of the search.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom (nīti) in service of dharma: providing actionable, mission-critical information.