Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 29

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

सहेमजाम्बूनदचक्रवालं महार्हमुक्तामणिभूषितान्तम्।परार्थ्यकालागुरुचन्दनाक्तं स रावणान्तःपुरमाविवेश।।।।

Transliteration

sa-hema-jāmbūnada-cakravālaṁ mahārha-muktā-maṇi-bhūṣitāntam |

parārthya-kālāguru-candanāktaṁ sa rāvaṇāntaḥpuram āviveśa ||

Translation

He entered Rāvaṇa’s inner palace, encircled by walls gleaming with refined gold, adorned throughout with precious pearls and gems, and anointed with the finest dark agaru and sandal paste.

Word by Word

• स-हेम-जाम्बूनद-चक्रवालम्: the enclosure/walls (made) with gold of Jāmbūnada
• स-हेम-जाम्बूनद-चक्रवालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + जाम्बूनद (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्म), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘स’ उपपद (सहित/युक्त) + समास: हेमेन जाम्बूनदेन च युक्तं चक्रवालम्

• महा-अर्ह-मुक्ता-मणि-भूषित-अन्तम्: whose interior was adorned with very precious pearls and gems
• महा-अर्ह-मुक्ता-मणि-भूषित-अन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त; √भूष् धातु) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्म), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; क्त ‘भूषित’; समास: महार्हैः मुक्ताभिः मणिभिः च भूषितः अन्तः यस्य

• परार्थ्य-काल-अगुरु-चन्दन-आक्तम्: smeared with finest black-aloes and sandal paste
• परार्थ्य-काल-अगुरु-चन्दन-आक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परार्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्त (कृदन्त; √अञ्ज् धातु)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्म), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; क्त ‘आक्त’ = ‘लेपित/अनुलिप्त’; समास: परार्थ्यैः कालागुरुचन्दनैः आक्तम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, प्रथमा (कर्ता), पुल्लिङ्ग

• रावण-अन्तःपुरम्: Ravana's inner palace/harem
• रावण-अन्तःपुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, द्वितीया (कर्म), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समास: रावणस्य अन्तःपुरम्

• आविवेश: entered
• आविवेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु) उपसर्ग: आ-
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

The houses reverberating with sounds of laughter and of musical instruments, decorated with lattice windows of diamonds resembled the sky shining with clouds with a goad made of diamond (thunderbolt of Indra).

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāvaṇa’s antaḥpura (inner palace/harem)

FAQs

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

Dharma is commitment to a truthful objective despite seductive power: Hanumān proceeds into the heart of Rāvaṇa’s domain, unmoved by luxury, to locate Sītā and uphold Rāma’s righteous cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān enters Rāvaṇa’s inner palace/antaḥpura, described as richly fortified and perfumed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control and mission-focus: he penetrates the most alluring and dangerous space without losing ethical direction.