Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 29

लङ्कादुर्गवर्णनम्

Description of Lanka’s Fortifications and Forces

Devanagari script

तेमयासङ्क्रमाभग्नाःपरिखाश्चावपूरिताः ।दग्धाचनगरीलङ्काप्राकाराश्चावसादिताः ।।।।बलैकदेशःक्षपितोराक्षसानांमहात्मनाम् ।

Transliteration

te mayā saṅkramā bhagnāḥ parikhāś cāvapūritāḥ | dagdhā ca nagarī laṅkā prākārāś cāvasāditāḥ || balaikadeśaḥ kṣapito rākṣasānāṃ mahātmanām ||

Translation

ຂ້າໄດ້ທໍາລາຍທາງຂ້າມເຫຼົ່ານັ້ນ ຖົມຄູເມືອງໃຫ້ເຕັມ ແລະຈຸດໄຟເຜົານະຄອນລັງກາ; ກໍາແພງແລະປ້ອມປະການກໍຖືກກະແທກຈົນພັງທະລາຍ. ແລະກໍາລັງບາງສ່ວນຂອງເຫຼົ່າຣາກສະສາຜູ້ມີອານຸພາບກໍຖືກທໍາລາຍ.

Word by Word

• ते: they/those (things)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• सङ्क्रमाः: causeways/approaches
• सङ्क्रमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• भग्नाः: broken/destroyed
• भग्नाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhaj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agrees with "सङ्क्रमाः"

• परिखाः: moats
• परिखाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय)

• अवपूरिताः: filled up
• अवपूरिताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√pṝ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá) with prefix ava-, Feminine? (form is plural nominative; here agrees with "परिखाः" feminine plural; usage shows mixed-gender participle in epic style), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• दग्धा: burnt
• दग्धा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with "नगरी"

• च: also/and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय)

• नगरी: city
• नगरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• लङ्का: Lanka
• लङ्का: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition to "नगरी"

• प्राकाराः: ramparts/walls
• प्राकाराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय)

• अवसादिताः: smashed/brought down
• अवसादिताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√sad (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá) with prefix ava-, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agrees with "प्राकाराः"

• बल-एक-देशः: a part of the army
• बल-एक-देशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष: "बलस्य एकदेशः"), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• क्षपितः: destroyed/killed off
• क्षपितः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣap (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with "बल-एक-देशः"

• राक्षसानाम्: of the rakshasas
• राक्षसानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• महात्मनाम्: of the mighty/souled (great)
• महात्मनाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; adjective qualifying "राक्षसानाम्"

Context

"O Vanara! How many forts are in Lanka? You may tell me whatever you have seen. I wish to know all that."

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā
• Rākṣasas
• parikhā (moats)
• prākāra (ramparts/walls)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is accountable force in service of a righteous mission: Hanumān reports actions and consequences truthfully to his leader, aligning power with responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān summarizes the damage he inflicted during his incursion into Laṅkā and the losses he caused to Rāvaṇa’s forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful reporting and disciplined valor—strength used purposefully, then transparently communicated to command.