Shloka 14

पुष्पकविमानवर्णनम्

Description of the Pushpaka Vimana and Ravana’s Inner Palace

Devanagari script

ईहामृगसमायुक्त्तै: कार्तस्वरहिरमण्मयैः।सुकृतैराचितं स्तम्भैः प्रदीप्तमिव च श्रिया।।5.9.13।।मेरुमन्दरसङ्काशैरुल्लिखद्भिरिवाम्बरं।कूटागारैश्शुभाकारैस्सर्वतस्समलङ्कृतम्।।5.9.14।।

Transliteration

īhā-mṛga-samāyuktaiḥ kārtasvara-hiraṇmayaiḥ |

su-kṛtair ācitaṃ stambhaiḥ pradīptam iva ca śriyā ||

meru-mandara-saṅkāśair ullikhadbhir ivāmbaraṃ |

kūṭāgāraiḥ śubhākāraiḥ sarvatas samalaṅkṛtam ||

Translation

ഈഹാമൃഗ രൂപങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട, കാർതസ്വരവും ഹിരണ്മയവും ആയ സ്വർണ്ണത്തിൽ സൂക്ഷ്മമായി നിർമ്മിച്ച തൂണുകളാൽ അത് താങ്ങപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു; ശ്രീയുടെ ദീപ്തിയാൽ ജ്വലിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ തോന്നി. മേരുവും മന്ദരവും പോലെ ഉയർന്ന, ശുഭാകാരമുള്ള കൂഠാഗാരങ്ങൾ എല്ലാടവും അലങ്കരിച്ച്, ആകാശത്തെ തന്നെ ചുരണ്ടുന്നതുപോലെ ദൃശ്യമായി.

Word by Word

• मेरुमन्दरसङ्काशैः: with (structures) resembling Meru and Mandara
• मेरुमन्दरसङ्काशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेरु + मन्दर + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद: मेरु-मन्दर; अर्थः: मेरु-मन्दरयोः सङ्काशैः (resembling Meru and Mandara)

• उल्लिखद्भिः: as if scraping/etching
• उल्लिखद्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उल्लिखत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; उद्-√लिख् (धातु))
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), तृतीया, बहुवचन; कूटागारैः/सङ्काशैः सह

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamana-marker (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• अम्बरम्: the sky
• अम्बरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; उल्लिखद्भिरिव (as if scraping)

• कूटागारैः: with lofty mansions/roofed structures
• कूटागारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूटागार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage varies; here plural instr.), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; समासः: कूटं च तत् आगारम् (k
  6b 6da as upper structure + house)

• शुभाकारैः: of auspicious form
• शुभाकारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कूटागारैः विशेषण; समासः: शुभः आकारः येषाम्/शुभ-आकार (descriptive)

• सर्वतः: on all sides/everywhere
• सर्वतः: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), देशवाचक (spatial)

• समलङ्कृतम्: fully adorned
• समलङ्कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समलङ्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्-√लङ्कृ (धातु))
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (विमानम्/वेश्म) विशेषण

Context

There was a wonderful aerial chariot called Pushpaka embellished with all kinds of gems built by Visvakarma for Brahma. It was the same one that Kubera had won from his grandfather, the creator Brahma, through his supreme penance. The lord of ogres acquired it (as a memento for his victory) by defeating Kubera with his might.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣpaka (vimāna)
• Meru
• Mandara

FAQs

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

The verse underscores that external prosperity (śrī) can be dazzling, but Ramayana ethics asks whether such prosperity is upheld by dharma. Splendour is not proof of righteousness; it can also decorate an unrighteous regime.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration continues describing Puṣpaka’s magnificent structure—its golden pillars, mythic motifs, and sky-scraping pavilions—as Hanumān surveys the palace environs.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discrimination (viveka) is implied: the listener is guided to distinguish between appearance (splendour) and moral worth (dharma), a key Ramayana lesson.