Shloka 28

रावणान्तःपुर-पानभूमि-विचयः

Hanumān’s Survey of Rāvaṇa’s Inner Palace and Banquet Hall

Devanagari script

शयनान्यत्र नारीणां शुभ्राणि बहुधा पुनः।परस्परं समाश्लिष्य काश्चित्सुप्ता वराङ्गनाः।।5.11.28।।

Transliteration

śayanāny atra nārīṇāṃ śubhrāṇi bahudhā punaḥ |

parasparaṃ samāśliṣya kāścit suptā varāṅganāḥ || 5.11.28 ||

Translation

അവിടെ സ്ത്രീകളുടെ അനേകം നിർമ്മലമായ വെളുത്ത ശയനങ്ങൾ കണ്ടു; ചില സുന്ദര വരാംഗനമാർ പരസ്പരം ആലിംഗനം ചെയ്ത് നിദ്രയിൽ ലീനരായി കിടന്നിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• śayanāni: beds
• śayanāni: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• atra: there
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here/there)

• nārīṇām: of women
• nārīṇām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• śubhrāṇi: clean/white
• śubhrāṇi: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (śayanāni-viśeṣaṇa)

• bahudhā: in many ways/separately
• bahudhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in many ways/variously)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/कालवाचक-अव्यय (again)

• parasparam: each other
• parasparam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: परस्पर-अव्यय (reciprocal adverb: mutually)

• samāśliṣya: having embraced
• samāśliṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + śliṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (indeclinable converb): 'having embraced'

• kāścit: some (women)
• kāścit: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite: some)

• suptāḥ: slept/asleep
• suptāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svap (धातु) + supta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (PPP); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• varāṅganāḥ: lovely women
• varāṅganāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara + aṅganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (varāṅganā = lovely woman); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

Hanuman saw many beds some unused and some occupied by lovely women sleeping, embracing one another.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• women of the palace (nārī, varāṅganāḥ)

FAQs

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

The dharmic subtext is discernment and restraint: even amid intimate palace scenes, Hanumān remains ethically guarded and intent only on finding Sītā.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, moving through the inner chambers, sees women’s sleeping arrangements—some beds unused and some occupied by sleeping women.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral vigilance and purity of intent during a sensitive search.