Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 5
चन्द्रप्रकाशे लङ्कानिरीक्षणम्
Moonlit Survey of Lanka and the Unfound Sita
स्थितः ककुद्मानिव तीक्ष्णशृङ्गो महाचलः श्वेत इवोच्चशृङ्गः।हस्तीव जाम्बूनदबद्धशृङ्गो रराज चन्द्रः परिपूर्णशृङ्गः।।5.5.5।।
sthitaḥ kakudmān iva tīkṣṇa-śṛṅgo mahācalaḥ śveta ivocca-śṛṅgaḥ | hastīva jāmbūnada-baddha-śṛṅgo rarāja candraḥ paripūrṇa-śṛṅgaḥ || 5.5.5 ||
ພຣະຈັນເຕັມດວງສ່ອງສະຫວ່າງ—ດັ່ງງົວຜູ້ມີເຂົາແຫຼມຄົມຢືນຜົງາດ; ດັ່ງພູໃຫຍ່ສີຂາວມີຍອດສູງ; ແລະດັ່ງຊ້າງທີ່ງາຖືກຜູກປະດັບດ້ວຍຄຳຊຳພູນະດາ—ພຣະຈັນຈຶ່ງຮຸ່ງເຮືອງຢ່າງເຕັມພອນ.
The full-moon with its horn-like spot shone like a bull with sharp horns, like the white Himalayan mountain with its lofty peaks, and like an elephant with gold plated tusks;
FAQs
The verse celebrates completeness and stability (paripūrṇatā, sthiratā). In dharmic thought, steadiness and wholeness are virtues: a mind that is ‘full’ and steady is fit for right action.
The moon is depicted in heightened imagery as the night deepens—this is the atmospheric frame for Hanumān’s careful reconnaissance in Laṅkā.
Courage with stability: the bull, mountain, and elephant similes imply firm strength—qualities Hanumān must embody while remaining controlled.