Shloka 52

लङ्कादर्शनं तथा रात्रौ सूक्ष्मरूपेण प्रवेशोपायचिन्तनम्

Vision of Lanka and Strategy for Nocturnal Entry

Devanagari script

प्रासादमालाविततां स्तम्भैः काञ्चनराजतैः।शातकुम्भमयैर्जालैर्गन्थर्वनगरोपमाम्।।5.2.51।।सप्तभौमाष्टभौमैश्च स ददर्श महापुरीम्।तलैः स्फाटिकसंकीर्णैः कार्तस्वरविभूषितैः।।5.2.52।।

Transliteration

prāsādamālāvitatāṁ stambhaiḥ kāñcanarājataiḥ |

śātakumbhamayair jālair gantharvanagaropamām || 5.2.51 ||

saptabhaumāṣṭabhaumaiś ca sa dadarśa mahāpurīm |

talaiḥ sphāṭikasaṅkīrṇaiḥ kārtasvaravibhūṣitaiḥ || 5.2.52 ||

Translation

Ia melihat kota besar itu terbentang dengan deretan istana yang tiada putus; pilar-pilar emas dan perak, kisi-kisi emas—bagaikan kota para Gandharva. Kota itu dipenuhi bangunan tujuh dan delapan tingkat, lantai bertatah kristal, serta perhiasan emas yang halus berkilau.

Word by Word

• सप्त-भौम-अष्ट-भौमैः: with seven- and eight-storied (buildings)
• सप्त-भौम-अष्ट-भौमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या, प्रातिपदिक) + भौम (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्ट (संख्या, प्रातिपदिक) + भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (द्वन्द्वसमासे), तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; 'सप्तभौम'/'अष्टभौम' = सात/आठ-तल-युक्त

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महापुरीम्: the great city
• महापुरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तलैः: with floors/terraces
• तलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• स्फाटिक-संकीर्णैः: inlaid/mixed with crystal
• स्फाटिक-संकीर्णैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फाटिक (प्रातिपदिक) + संकीर्ण (कृदन्त, √कॄ/√कीर् धातु; 'संकीर्ण' as adjective)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (क्त)

• कार्तस्वर-विभूषितैः: adorned with gold
• कार्तस्वर-विभूषितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्तस्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषित (कृदन्त, √भूष् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (क्त)

Context

Hanuman saw the city stretched with rows of buildings all over,with seven or eight storied mansions, which had pillars of gold and silver, windows with fretwork of gold, inlaid with crystals, floors decorated with gold, resembling the grand city of gandharvas.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā
• Gandharva (as comparison)

FAQs

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

Dharma-oriented reading treats this splendor as contextual background: moral worth is not measured by ornamentation but by adherence to truth and right conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

A continued (and here duplicated/overlapping) description of Laṅkā’s grandeur as Hanumān surveys the environment while proceeding with his search.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steady-mindedness: Hanumān observes without being diverted from the ethical aim of the mission.