Shloka 4

लङ्कादुर्गवर्णनम्

Description of Lanka’s Fortifications and Forces

Devanagari script

बलस्यपरिमाणंचद्वारदुर्गक्रियामपि ।गुप्तिकर्मचलङ्कायारक्षसांसदनानिच ।।।।यथासुखंयथावच्छलङ्कायामसिदृष्टवान् ।सर्वमाचक्ष्वतत्त्वेनसर्वथाकुशलोह्यसि ।।।।

Transliteration

balasya parimāṇaṃ ca dvāradurgakriyām api |

guptikarma ca laṅkāyāḥ rakṣasāṃ sadanāni ca ||6.3.4||

Translation

Tell me also the measure of their forces, the arrangement of gates and fortifications hard to penetrate, the means by which Lanka is guarded, and the dwellings of the rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• बलस्य: of the army/force
• बलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• परिमाणम्: measure, size
• परिमाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• द्वारदुर्गक्रियाम्: the gate-fortification arrangements
• द्वारदुर्गक्रियाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार + दुर्ग + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘द्वाराणां दुर्गक्रिया’ = arrangements of gates/fortifications), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘also’)

• गुप्तिकर्म: the guarding/protective measures
• गुप्तिकर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप्ति + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘गुप्तेः कर्म’/‘गुप्तिकर्म’ = guarding activity), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• लङ्कायाः: of Laṅkā
• लङ्कायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• रक्षसाम्: of the rākṣasas
• रक्षसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• सदनानि: dwellings, houses
• सदनानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• यथा: as, in the way that
• यथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘as/in the manner that’)

• सुखम्: comfortably, at ease
• सुखम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• वत्: properly, accurately
• वत्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle meaning ‘properly/indeed’; often in ‘यथावत्’ = ‘accurately’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• लङ्कायाम्: in Laṅkā
• लङ्कायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• दृष्टवान्: (you) have seen
• दृष्टवान्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तवतु/active past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (agentive: ‘one who has seen’)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आचक्ष्व: tell, describe
• आचक्ष्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; उपसर्गः आ

• तत्त्वेन: truthfully
• तत्त्वेन: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental of manner: ‘in truth’)

• सर्वथा: in every respect
• सर्वथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• कुशलः: skilled, competent
• कुशलः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Hetu-dyotaka (हेतुद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis/reason)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Context

Hanuman the son of Maruti, the foremost among those who are good at speech, having heard Rama's words again said to Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Hanuman
• Lankā
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma in leadership includes due diligence—seeking truthful intelligence before action to minimize harm and act justly.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama requests a detailed report from Hanuman, who has seen Lanka, focusing on military strength and fortifications.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s prudent governance—strategic restraint and commitment to informed, righteous action.