Shloka 5.8.5
पुष्पकविमानदर्शनम् (Vision of the Pushpaka Aerial Chariot)
विशेषमालम्ब्य विशेषसंस्थितंविचित्रकूटं बहुकूटमण्डितम्।मनोऽभिरामं शरदिन्दुनिर्मलंविचित्रकूटं शिखरं गिरेर्यथा।।।।
viśeṣam ālambya viśeṣa-saṃsthitaṃ vicitra-kūṭaṃ bahu-kūṭa-maṇḍitam |
mano’bhirāmaṃ śarad-indu-nirmalaṃ vicitra-kūṭaṃ śikharaṃ girer yathā ||
Resting upon a special design and set in a distinctive arrangement, it rose with wondrous peaks and was adorned with many pinnacles. Delightful to the mind and pure as the autumn moon, it looked like a mountain summit crowned with marvelous ridges.
The Pushpaka was specially designed in a unique manner. It was decorated with many colourful peaks. It was delghtful and pleasing to the mind and bright like the autumnal full-moon. It looked like a mountain with many wonderful towers around.
Beauty and grandeur are portrayed as neutral; their ethical value depends on alignment with dharma. The Ramayana repeatedly implies that splendour without righteousness becomes a setting for adharma rather than a sign of merit.
The narration continues the visual portrayal of Puṣpaka’s architecture as Hanumān surveys Rāvaṇa’s realm.
Aesthetic discernment guided by purpose: Hanumān observes carefully yet remains inwardly unentangled, maintaining focus on Sītā and Rāma’s cause.