Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 17
लङ्कादुर्गवर्णनम्
Description of Lanka’s Fortifications and Forces
त्रायन्तेसङ्क्रमास्तत्रपरसैन्यागतेसति ।यन्त्रैस्तैरवकीर्यन्तेपरिखासुसमन्ततः ।।।।
trāyante saṅkramās tatra parasainyāgate sati | yantrais tair avakīryante parikhāsu samantataḥ ||
Bila bala tentara musuh datang, lintasan-lintasan itu segera diamankan; dengan mekanisme itu, jalan masuk ditarik dan dijatuhkan ke dalam parit dari segala sisi, sehingga tak seorang pun dapat menerobos.
"When the enemy arrives, the engines all over the moats lift the bridges making entry impossible for enemy armies."
FAQs
The verse underscores protective duty: defenses are activated specifically when aggression appears, suggesting restraint paired with readiness—an ethical balance in the use of force.
The mechanism of Laṅkā’s defenses is explained: bridges/crossings can be withdrawn or dropped into the moat to block invading armies.
Alert preparedness—being ready to respond effectively at the moment of threat.
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