Shloka 22

रावणान्तःपुरे शयनदर्शनम्

Hanumān Observes Rāvaṇa’s Inner Apartments and Sleeping Court

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां स परिपूर्णाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां राक्षसेश्वरः।शुशुभेऽचलसङ्काशः शृङ्गाभ्यामिव मन्दरः।।।।

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ sa paripūrṇābhyāṃ bhujābhyāṃ rākṣaseśvaraḥ |

śuśubhe ’cala-saṅkāśaḥ śṛṅgābhyām iva mandaraḥ ||

Translation

ആ രണ്ടു പൂർണ്ണവളർച്ചയുള്ള ഭുജങ്ങളാൽ രാക്ഷസേശ്വരൻ അചലംപോലെ ദീപ്തനായി—ഇരട്ടശിഖരങ്ങളാൽ മന്ദരപർവതം ശോഭിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ।

Word by Word

• ताभ्याम्: with those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम; करणम् (with those two)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परिपूर्णाभ्याम्: fully developed
• परिपूर्णाभ्याम्: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying भुजाभ्याम्)

• भुजाभ्याम्: with (his) two arms
• भुजाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; करणम् (instrument: with (his) arms)

• राक्षसेश्वरः: the lord of demons
• राक्षसेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानाम् ईश्वरः = lord of demons)

• शुशुभे: shone, appeared splendid
• शुशुभे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; क्रिया

• अचल-सङ्काशः: like a mountain
• अचल-सङ्काशः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अचलस्य सङ्काशः = mountain-like); विशेषणम् (qualifying राक्षसेश्वरः)

• शृङ्गाभ्याम्: with two peaks
• शृङ्गाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; करणम् (instrument in simile)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्ययम्

• मन्दरः: Mount Mandara
• मन्दरः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमानम् (standard of comparison)

Context

The lord of demons looked splendid like a mountain with his long, fully developed arms. He appeared like Mandara mountain with two lofty peaks.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mandara (mountain)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores a Ramayana theme: grandeur and might are ethically neutral; they become noble only when aligned with dharma and satya. Otherwise, they magnify adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān’s observation continues, portraying Rāvaṇa’s imposing physique through the mountain-and-peaks comparison.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s objectivity: he can acknowledge an enemy’s strength without admiration that compromises his righteous purpose.