Shloka 5.2.9
लङ्कादर्शनं तथा रात्रौ सूक्ष्मरूपेण प्रवेशोपायचिन्तनम् (Vision of Lanka and Strategy for Nocturnal Entry)
सरलान् कर्णिकारांश्च खर्जूरांश्च सुपुष्पितान्।प्रियालून्मुचुलिन्दांश्च कुटजान् केतकानपि।।।।प्रियंङ्गून् गन्धपूर्णांश्च नीपान् सप्तच्छदांस्तथा।आसनान् कोविदारांश्च करवीरांश्च पुष्पितान्।।।।पुष्पभारनिबद्धांश्च तथा मुकुलितानपि।पादपान् विहगाकीर्णान् पवनाधूतमस्तकान्।।।।हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णा वापीः पद्मोत्मलायुताः।आक्रीडान् विविधान् रम्यावन् विविधांश्च जलाशयान्।।।।सन्ततान् विविधैर्वृक्षैः सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पितैः।उद्यानानि च रम्याणि ददर्श कपिकुञ्जरः।।।।
saralān karṇikārāṃś ca kharjūrāṃś ca supuṣpitān | priyālūn muculindāṃś ca kuṭajān ketakān api ||
priyaṅgūn gandhapūrṇāṃś ca nīpān saptacchadāṃs tathā | āsanān kovidārāṃś ca karavīrāṃś ca puṣpitān ||
puṣpabhāranibaddhāṃś ca tathā mukulitān api | pādapān vihagākīrṇān pavanādhūtamastakān ||
haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇā vāpīḥ padmotpalāyutāḥ | ākrīḍān vividhān ramyān vividhāṃś ca jalāśayān ||
santatān vividhair vṛkṣaiḥ sarvartuphalapuṣpitaiḥ | udyānāni ca ramyāṇi dadarśa kapikuñjaraḥ ||
The elephant-like vanara beheld delightful gardens spread wide with many kinds of trees—sarala, karṇikāra, and date-palms in full bloom; priyāla, muculinda, kuṭaja, and ketaka; fragrant priyaṅgu, nīpa, and saptacchada; and flowering āsana, kovidāra, and karavīra. Some were bowed beneath the weight of blossoms, others still in bud; all were alive with birds, their crowns shaken by the wind. He also saw ponds thronged with swans and waterfowl, adorned with lotuses and water-lilies, and many charming pleasure-grounds and waterside retreats, where fruits and flowers appeared in every season.
The mighty vanara saw around Lanka, trees like sarala, karnikara in full bloom, date-palms, priyala, muchulinda, kutaja, kethaka trees filled with fragrance priyangu, kadamba, so also flowering plants like saptachhada, asana, kovidara and karaveera fully loaded with flowers and buds. These trees were thronged by birds, with their branches shaken by the wind. Flocks of swans and water-fowls were found in ponds of different types. There were various pleasure groves with flowers in bloom and fruits of all seasons and varieties of water resorts and delightful gardens.
The verse underscores non-attachment: beauty and abundance are observed, yet the dharmic agent remains oriented to truth and duty. Enjoyment is not condemned, but distraction from righteous purpose is.
Hanuman surveys the lush, cultivated landscape around Lanka—its trees, ponds, birds, and pleasure-gardens—before moving deeper into the city.
Self-control (saṃyama): he notices sensory richness without losing focus on Sita-search and Rama’s cause.