Shloka 15
सप्तदशः सर्गः
Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove
विकृताः पिङ्गलाः कालीः क्रोधनाः कलहप्रियाः।कालायसमहाशूलकूटमुद्गरधारिणीः।।5.17.9।।वराहमृगशार्दूलमहिषाजशिवामुखीः।गजोष्ट्रहयपादीश्च निखातशिरसोऽपराः।।5.17.10।।एकहस्तैकपादाश्च खरकर्ण्यश्वकर्णिकाः।गोकर्णीर्हस्तिकर्णीश्च हरिकर्णीस्तथापराः।।5.17.11।।अनासा अतिनासाश्च तिर्यङ्नासा विनासिकाः।गजसन्निभनासाश्च ललाटोच्छवासनासिकाः।।5.17.12।।हस्तिपादा महापादा गोपादाः पादचूलिकाः।अतिमात्रशिरोग्रीवा अतिमात्रकुचोदरीः।।5.17.13।।अतिमात्रास्यनेत्राश्च दीर्घजिह्वानखास्तथा।अजामुखीर्हस्तिमुखीर्गोमुखीस्सूकरीमुखीः।।5.17.14।।हयोष्ट्रखरवक्त्राश्च राक्षसीर्घोरदर्शनाः।शूलमुद्गरहस्ताश्च क्रोधनाः कलहप्रियाः।।5.17.15।।कराला धूम्रकेशीश्च राक्षसीर्विकृताननाः।पिबन्ती: सततं पानं सदा मांससुराप्रियाः।।5.17.16।।मांसशोणितदिग्धाङ्गीर्मांसशोणितभोजनाः।ता ददर्श कपिश्रेष्ठो रोमहर्षणदर्शनाः।।5.17.17।।स्कन्धवन्तमुपासीनाः परिवार्य वनस्पतिम्।
hayoṣṭrakharavaktrāś ca rākṣasīr ghoradarśanāḥ |
śūlamudgarahastāś ca krodhanāḥ kalahapriyāḥ ||5.17.15||
ഹനുമാൻ ഭീകരദർശനങ്ങളായ രാക്ഷസീകളെ കണ്ടു—ചിലർക്കു കുതിര, ഒട്ടകം, കഴുത എന്നിവയുടെ മുഖംപോലെ മുഖങ്ങൾ. ശൂലവും മുദ്ഗരവും കൈയിൽ ധരിച്ച അവർ ക്രോധശീലികളും കലഹപ്രിയരുമായിരുന്നു.
Hanuman, the leader of the monkeys saw there shedemons of several distorted forms. Some were brown in colour and some black and some quarrelsome some holding spears, mallets and hammers of black iron, some with faces like boars, deer, tigers, goats and jackals feet like those of elephants, camels and horses, some had their head sunk into the trunk, others having one hand or one leg likewise some having ears like that of a donkey or a horse or a cow some with elephant ears and some with monkey ears some with big nose, without nose,with crooked nose and some without nostrils breathing through their forehead and some with the trunk of an elephant. Some with elephantfeet, with huge feet, and feet like that of cows and some with hair on their feet. There were some with huge heads and necks, some having large breasts, bellies, some with hanging breasts, and some with long nails and tongues. Similarly there were some having faces of goats, mouths of horses, camels or donkeys. They were terrifying, armed with iron crowbars and tridents. Some were wrathful, some with uneven gaping mouth, and some with smoky hair and distorted faces. They were always found drinking, smeared with flesh and blood and feeding on flesh and blood. Their appearance was horripilating. All of them were seated around the trunk of massive tree.
FAQs
The verse highlights adharma through cruelty, intimidation, and delight in conflict. By contrast, dharma values restraint, protection of the vulnerable, and self-control—qualities absent in the rākṣasīs’ conduct.
In Laṅkā’s Aśoka grove, Hanumān secretly observes the rākṣasīs who guard and torment Sītā, assessing the danger around her before revealing himself.
Hanumān’s discernment and disciplined courage: he watches carefully, gathers accurate knowledge, and does not act rashly despite the threatening scene.