Shloka 17

रावणान्तःपुरे शयनदर्शनम्

Hanumān Observes Rāvaṇa’s Inner Apartments and Sleeping Court

Devanagari script

काञ्चनाङ्गदसन्नध्दै च ददर्श स महात्मनः।विक्षिप्तौ राक्षसेन्द्रस्य भुजाविन्द्रध्वजोपमौ।।5.10.15।।ऐरावतविषाणाग्रैरापीडनकृतव्रणौ।वज्रोल्लिखितपीनांसौ विष्णुचक्रपरिक्षतौ।।5.10.16।।पीनौ समसुजातांसौ संगतौ बलसंयुतौ।सुलक्षणनखाङ्गुष्ठा स्वङ्गुलीतललक्षितौ।।5.10.17।।संहतौ परिघाकारौ वृत्तौ करिकरोपमौ।विक्षिप्तौ शयने शुभ्रे पञ्चशीर्षाविवोरगौ।।5.10.18।।शशक्षतजकल्पेन सुशीतेन सुगन्धिना।चन्दनेन परार्ध्येन स्वनुलिप्तौ स्वलङ्कृतौ।।5.10.19।।उत्तमस्त्रीविमृदितौ गन्धोत्तमनिषेवितौ।यक्षपन्नगगन्धर्वदेवदानवराविणौ।।5.10.20।।

Transliteration

pīnau sama-sujātāṃsau saṅgatau bala-saṃyutau |

sulakṣaṇa-nakhāṅguṣṭhā svaṅgulī-tala-lakṣitau ||5.10.17||

Translation

അവ ഭുജങ്ങൾ കട്ടിയുള്ളതും സമപ്രമാണത്തിൽ സുസംഘടിതവുമായും ദൃഢവും ബലസമ്പന്നവുമായിരുന്നു; ശുഭലക്ഷണമുള്ള നഖാംഗുഷ്ഠങ്ങളാൽ ചിഹ്നിതവും, സുന്ദരമായി രൂപപ്പെട്ട വിരലുകളും കരതലങ്ങളും കൊണ്ടു വിശിഷ്ടവുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पीनौ: two stout (ones)
• पीनौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• समसुजातौ: well-formed, well-built
• समसुजातौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम + सुजात (प्रातिपदिक; सुजात = सु + जात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषणम्; समसुजात = सम्यक् सुजात (well-formed)

• संगतौ: compact/firmly knit
• संगतौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संगत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• बलसंयुतौ: endowed with strength
• बलसंयुतौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल + संयुत (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बलस्य संयुतौ = endowed with strength)

• सुलक्षणनखाङ्गुष्ठौ: having thumbs with well-marked nails
• सुलक्षणनखाङ्गुष्ठौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + लक्षण + नख + अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सुलक्षणाः नखाः यस्य अङ्गुष्ठौ/अङ्गुष्ठयोः—thumbs with well-marked nails); विशेषणम्

• स्व-अङ्गुली-तल-लक्षितौ: marked on their palms and fingers
• स्व-अङ्गुली-तल-लक्षितौ: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुली + तल + लक्षित (कृदन्त; √लक्ष् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वेषु अङ्गुलीतलेषु लक्षितौ = marked on their own palms/finger-surfaces); क्तान्त-विशेषणम्

Context

Hanuman saw the great Ravana's arms, which were like a pair of Indra's flag staff adorned with golden straps. The arms bore the marks of wounds caused by Airavata, (Indra's elephant), torn by the thunderbolt of Indra in war, and wounded by the discus of Lord Visnu. His strong, fleshy, wellbuilt arms, having auspicious thumbnails, shapely fingers and palms, pressed together, resembled the iron crowbars or beam used for main doors. The arms resembled elephant's trunks, tossed on a clean bed, resembling two fivehooded snakes (fingers like hoods), besmeared with cool, fragrant, red sandalpaste of excellent quality which looked red like the hare's blood. They were well massaged by the best of women with fine, fragrant sandal paste. They were the arms which could make yakshas, pannagas, gods and demons roar in fear at their sight.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse underscores a Ramayana theme: auspicious bodily marks and strength do not guarantee righteousness; dharma is measured by conduct (satya and restraint), not mere endowment.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān continues a detailed visual assessment of the sleeping Rāvaṇa, noting his physical symmetry and signs of strength.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Analytical observation—Hanumān gathers information carefully, a key trait of an effective messenger and servant of dharma.