Shloka 24

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

स तदा तद्गृहं दृष्ट्वा महाहाटकतोरणम्।राक्षसेन्द्रस्य विख्यातमद्रिमूर्ध्नि प्रतिष्ठितम्।।।।पुण्डरीकावतंसाभिः परिखाभिरलङ्कृतम्।प्राकारावृतमत्यन्तं ददर्श स महाकपिः।।।।

Transliteration

sa tadā tadgṛhaṃ dṛṣṭvā mahāhāṭaka-toraṇam |

rākṣasendrasya vikhyātam adrimūrdhni pratiṣṭhitam ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവൻ രാക്ഷസരാജന്റെ പ്രസിദ്ധമായ ആ കൊട്ടാരം കണ്ടു—പർവ്വതശിഖരത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതവും മഹാസുവർണ്ണതോരണത്താൽ ശോഭിതവുമായതു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल/time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/object determiner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun used adjectivally), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृहम्: house, palace
• गृहम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/absolutive), 'having seen'

• महाहाटकतोरणम्: a great golden gateway/arch
• महाहाटकतोरणम्: Karma (कर्म/object apposition to gṛham)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + हाटक + तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: 'archway of great gold'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• राक्षसेन्द्रस्य: of the demon-king
• राक्षसेन्द्रस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('king of rākṣasas'); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विख्यातम्: renowned
• विख्यातम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ख्या (धातु) → विख्यात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); qualifying gṛham/toṇam

• अद्रिमूर्ध्नि: on the mountain-top
• अद्रिमूर्ध्नि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('mountain-peak'); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: situated, established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + स्था (धातु) → प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुण्डरीकावतंसाभिः: with (moats) having white-lotus ornaments
• पुण्डरीकावतंसाभिः: Karaṇa (करण/instrumental descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अवतंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('lotus-ornament'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); qualifying parikhābhiḥ

• परिखाभिः: with moats
• परिखाभिः: Karaṇa (करण/means: 'with moats')
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अलङ्कृतम्: adorned, decorated
• अलङ्कृतम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलम् + कृ (धातु) → अलङ्कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राकारावृतम्: surrounded by ramparts
• प्राकारावृतम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राकार + आवृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('enclosed by a wall'); आवृत = आ + वृ (धातु) → क्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्यन्तम्: entirely, exceedingly
• अत्यन्तम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्तम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/तीव्रता (intensifier: 'exceedingly, completely')

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• महाकपिः: the great monkey (Hanuman)
• महाकपिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + कपि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास ('great monkey'); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

The great monkey observed the huge archway of the demon king's palace made of gold situated on top of the mountain as if scraping the sky, circled by moats full of white lotuses appearing as though the moats were decorated with ear-ornaments. The whole city was encircled by a boundary wall.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā
• Rākṣasendra (Rāvaṇa, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma highlights the contrast between outer grandeur and inner righteousness: splendid architecture can coexist with adharma, reminding the reader that true worth rests in conduct and truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān comes into view of the rākṣasa-king’s famed palace complex, marking a deeper penetration into the heart of enemy power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Focused observation—he notes strategic features (location, gateway) relevant to movement and infiltration.