Shloka 22

लङ्कादर्शनम्

Viewing Laṅkā and its Forest-Gardens

Devanagari script

प्रासादैश्चविमानैश्चलङ्कापरमभूषिता ।घनैरिवाऽतपापायेमध्यमंवैष्णवंपदम् ।।6.39.22।।

Transliteration

prāsādaiś ca vimānaiś ca laṅkā paramabhūṣitā |

ghanair ivātapāpāye madhyamaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ padam ||6.39.22||

Translation

Laṅkā dihias indah dengan istana dan vimāna; dan bangunan utamanya di tengah bersinar, bagaikan awan pekat ketika cahaya matahari menembus, seolah-olah kediaman suci Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• prāsādaiḥ: with palaces
• prāsādaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• vimānaiḥ: with aerial mansions
• vimānaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• laṅkā: Lanka
• laṅkā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• parama-bhūṣitā: most beautifully adorned
• parama-bhūṣitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त, √bhūṣ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त) √bhūṣ (भूष्) → भूषित; कर्मधारयः (परमा भूषिता = exceedingly adorned)

• ghanaiḥ: by clouds
• ghanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन

• iva: like, as if
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• ātapa-apāye: at the waning of sunlight
• ātapa-apāye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātapa (प्रातिपदिक) + apāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (आतपस्य अपाये = at the disappearance/cessation of sunlight)

• madhyamam: central
• madhyamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• vaiṣṇavam: of Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava
• vaiṣṇavam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• padam: abode, place
• padam: Upamāna/Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

Context

In that city, which was always protected fully by a hundred Rakshasas, there was a palace with thousand pillars, which looked like peak of mount Kailas, and was as though it was scraping the sky and it as like an ornament of Lanka, the city of Rakshasa's Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the Ramayana’s moral tension: even a city ruled by adharma can mimic divine grandeur. Dharma calls for seeing beyond appearances and aligning power with truth (satya) and rightful conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration continues the visual survey of Laṅkā, focusing on its palaces, vimānas, and a dominant central structure likened to a divine abode.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment): the ability—exemplified by the righteous side in the epic—to distinguish true divinity (dharma) from mere imitation in worldly splendor.