Shloka 34

रावणान्तःपुरे शयनदर्शनम्

Hanumān Observes Rāvaṇa’s Inner Apartments and Sleeping Court

Devanagari script

तासां चन्द्रोपमैर्वक्त्रैश्शुभैर्ललितकुण्डलैः।विरराज विमानं तन्नभस्तारागणैरिव।।।।

Transliteration

tāsāṃ candropamair vaktraiḥ śubhair lalita-kuṇḍalaiḥ |

virarāja vimānaṃ tan nabhas tārāgaṇair iva ||

Translation

അവരുടെ ശുഭമായ ചന്ദ്രോപമ മുഖങ്ങളും സുന്ദരവും ലളിതവുമായ കർണകുണ്ഡലങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് ആ വിമാനംപോലെയുള്ള ശയനകക്ഷി ദീപ്തിയായി—ആകാശം നക്ഷത്രഗണങ്ങളാൽ ശോഭിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• तासाम्: of those (women)
• तासाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी / Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural, feminine)

• चन्द्र-उपमैः: with moon-like
• चन्द्र-उपमैः: करण (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत्पुरुषः ‘चन्द्रेण उपमाः’ (moon-like); नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter); विशेषणम् (to ‘वक्त्रैः’)

• वक्त्रैः: with faces
• वक्त्रैः: करण (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• शुभैः: beautiful, auspicious
• शुभैः: करण (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter); विशेषणम्

• ललित-कुण्डलैः: with lovely earrings
• ललित-कुण्डलैः: करण (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललित (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: कर्मधारयः ‘ललितानि कुण्डलानि’ (lovely earrings); नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter)

• विरराज: shone, was resplendent
• विरराज: क्रिया (क्रिया / Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• विमानम्: the aerial palace/couch (vimana)
• विमानम्: कर्ता (कर्ता / Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neuter)

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता (कर्ता / Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neuter); सर्वनाम-विशेषणम् (to ‘विमानम्’)

• नभः: the sky
• नभः: उपमान (उपमानम् / Simile-standard)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neuter); उपमानम्

• तारा-गणैः: with clusters of stars
• तारा-गणैः: करण (करणम् / Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘ताराणां गणाः’ (hosts of stars); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, masculine)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक (Upamā-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमावाचक-निपातः

Context

There the beautiful moon-like faces of women Illumined by the lovely ear-rings lay on the cot which looked resplendent like the sky lit up with hosts of stars.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāvaṇa’s wives

FAQs

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

The verse serves as an ethical foil: aesthetic brilliance can mask moral darkness; dharma requires seeing beyond appearances and aligning life with truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān observes how the women’s ornaments and faces make the royal sleeping area appear dazzling.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Clarity of purpose—Hanumān does not confuse splendor with goodness, and continues seeking Sītā.