Shloka 52

रावणान्तःपुरे शयनदर्शनम्

Hanumān Observes Rāvaṇa’s Inner Apartments and Sleeping Court

Devanagari script

मुक्तामणिसमायुक्तैर्भूषणैः सुविभूषिताम्।विभूषयन्तीमिव तत्स्वश्रिया भवनोत्तमम्।।5.10.51।।गौरीं कनकवर्णाभामिष्टामन्तः पुरेश्वरीम्।कपिर्मन्दोदरीं तत्र शयानां चारुरूपिणीम्।।5.10.52।।

Transliteration

muktā-maṇi-samāyuktair bhūṣaṇaiḥ su-vibhūṣitām |

vibhūṣayantīm iva tat-svaśriyā bhavanottamam ||

gaurīṃ kanaka-varṇābhām iṣṭām antaḥpureśvarīm |

kapiḥ mandodarīṃ tatra śayānāṃ cāru-rūpiṇīm ||

Translation

അവിടെ കപി മന്ദോദരിയെ ശയനിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നതായി കണ്ടു—കാന്തിമയയും കനകവർണ്ണാഭയും ആയി, മുത്തും മണിയും പതിച്ച ആഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അത്യന്തം അലങ്കൃതയായി; തന്റെ തന്നെ തേജസ്സാൽ ഉത്തമ ഭവനം ശോഭിപ്പിക്കുന്നവളെന്നപോലെ; അവൾ അന്തഃപുരത്തിന്റെ പ്രിയ മഹാരാണിയായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• गौरीम्: Gaurī (fair one)
• गौरीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; "Gaurī / fair woman" (appositional epithet)

• कनकवर्णाभाम्: having golden hue
• कनकवर्णाभाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कनक + वर्ण + आभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कनकवर्णस्य आभा यस्याः), विशेषणम्

• इष्टाम्: beloved
• इष्टाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), "beloved/favourite"

• अन्तःपुरेश्वरीम्: queen of the harem
• अन्तःपुरेश्वरीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्तःपुरस्य ईश्वरी), "queen of the inner apartments"

• कपिः: the vanara
• कपिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; "the vanara"

• मन्दोदरीम्: Mandodarī
• मन्दोदरीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दोदरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper noun

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• शयानाम्: lying (asleep)
• शयानाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; "lying (asleep)" (qualifying Mandodarī)

• चारुरूपिणीम्: very beautiful
• चारुरूपिणीम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (चारु-रूपिणी), विशेषणम्

Context

Then the vanara saw a very beautiful woman of golden complexion decked with pearls and gems and with ornaments as if illuminating the excellent mansion with her splendour She was the king's favourite and the chief queen, Mandodari.

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• Mandodari

FAQs

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

Even when the text repeats/echoes, the ethical point remains: discernment grounded in satya is required in a mission of rescue and justice.

What is the narrative situation?

A parallel/duplicated presentation (as transmitted in this recension) of Hanuman’s sighting of Mandodari.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Consistency and careful verification—key to truthful action.