Shloka 9

लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च

Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation

Devanagari script

आलिखन्तीमिवाकाशमुत्थितांपश्यलक्ष्मण ।मनसेवकृतांलङ्कांनगाग्रेविश्वकर्मणा ।।।।

Transliteration

ālikhantīm ivākāśam utthitāṃ paśya lakṣmaṇa |

manaseva kṛtāṃ laṅkāṃ nagāgre viśvakarmaṇā ||

Translation

“Lihatlah, Lakṣmaṇa—Laṅkā menjulang di puncak gunung seakan-akan menggaru langit, seolah-olah Viśvakarman membentuknya hanya di dalam fikiran.”

Word by Word

• ālikhantīm: as if drawing/scratching
• ālikhantīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + likh (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (laṅkām)

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय

• ākāśam: the sky
• ākāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• utthitām: risen/elevated
• utthitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud + sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (laṅkām)

• paśya: see!
• paśya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• lakṣmaṇa: O Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• manasā: by mind
• manasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• kṛtām: made/created
• kṛtām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (laṅkām)

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• nagāgre: on the mountain-top
• nagāgre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naga + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nagasya agre)

• viśvakarmaṇā: by Viśvakarman
• viśvakarmaṇā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvakarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Context

"It is not possible (to win over) for the thousand eyed Indra, or even Varuna, the god presiding over water, or even for Yama, the god of death and again even for Kubera the god of wealth to face the fire of my arrows (said Ravana to Suka)."।। ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvēyudhdakāṇḍēcaturviṅśassargaḥ ।।This is the end of the twenty fourth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic, the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Laṅkā
• Viśvakarman

FAQs

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

Dharma requires clear-sighted assessment of reality: admiration of grandeur does not weaken commitment to justice; one must recognize strength without being overawed by it.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma points out the imposing city of Laṅkā to Lakṣmaṇa, emphasizing its formidable construction before the siege.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical intelligence and steadiness—observing the battlefield objectively.