Shloka 18
लङ्काप्रवेशः
Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka
दीक्षितान् जटिलान् मुण्डान् गोजिनाम्बरवाससः।दर्भमुष्टिप्रहरणानग्निकुण्डायुघांस्तथा।।5.4.15।।कूटमुद्गरपाणींश्च दण्डायुधधरानपि।एकाक्षानेककर्णांश्च लम्बोदरपयोधरान्।।5.4.16।।करालान् भुग्नवक्त्रांश्च विकटान् वामनांस्तथा।धन्विनः खङ्गिनश्चैव शतघ्नीमुसलायुधान्।।5.4.17।।परिघोत्तमहस्तांश्च विचित्रकवचोज्ज्वलान्।नातिस्थूलान्नातिकृशान्नातिदीर्घातिह्रस्वकान्।।5.4.18।।नातिगौरान्नातिकृष्णान्नातिकुब्जान्न वामनान्।विरूपान् बहुरूपांश्च सुरूपांश्च सुवर्चसः।5.4.19।।ध्वजीन् पताकिनश्चैव ददर्श विविधायुधान्।
dīkṣitān jaṭilān muṇḍān gojināmbaravāsasaḥ |
darbhamuṣṭipraharaṇān agnikuṇḍāyudhāṃs tathā ||5.4.15||
kūṭamudgarapāṇīṃś ca daṇḍāyudhadharān api |
ekākṣān ekakarṇāṃś ca lambodarapayodharān ||5.4.16||
karālān bhugnavaktrāṃś ca vikaṭān vāmanāṃs tathā |
dhanvinaḥ khaṅginaś caiva śataghnīmusalāyudhān ||5.4.17||
parighottamahastāṃś ca vicitrakavacojjvalān |
nātisthūlān nātikṛśān nātidīrghātihrasvakān ||5.4.18||
nātigaurān nātikṛṣṇān nātikubjān na vāmanān |
virūpān bahurūpāṃś ca surūpāṃś ca suvarcasaḥ ||5.4.19||
dhvajīn patākinaś caiva dadarśa vividhāyudhān |
彼はさまざまな羅刹を見た。ある者は祭儀により清められ、ある者は結髪を垂らし、ある者は剃髪し、ある者は牛皮を衣としていた。ある者はダルバ草をひと握り武器とし、ある者は火供（護摩）の器具を武器として携えていた。鉄の槌を手にする者、杖を武器とする者もいた。片目の者、片耳の者、腹や胸の垂れた者もいた。凄まじく恐ろしい者、顔の歪んだ者、異形の者、また小人のような者もいた。弓を引く者、剣を帯びる者、重い棍棒や投擲の武器を持つ者もいた。手が鉄の棒のような者もおり、奇妙な鎧に輝いていた。さらに、太りすぎず痩せすぎず、背が高すぎず低すぎず、白すぎず黒すぎず、猫背でも極端に矮小でもない者たちもいた。醜い者、多様な姿の者、そして端正で光り輝く者もいて、幡や旗を掲げ、さまざまな武器を備えていた。
He observed large contingents of demons lining the highway and spies of Ravana stationed in the middle of the city.
FAQs
The verse implicitly contrasts outer marks (rites, ascetic signs, sacred implements) with inner conduct: dharma is not costume or ritual display, but righteous orientation—here, sacred objects are even turned into weapons.
While scouting Laṅkā, Hanumān catalogs the city’s defenders—an intimidating, varied array of armed Rākṣasas—assessing the threat landscape for the rescue mission.
Alertness and analytical perception: Hanumān carefully notes details of opponents (weapons, formations, physiques), showing disciplined intelligence in service of a dharmic aim.