Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 8

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

तां चित्रमाल्याभरणां कपिराजहितङ्करः।राघवार्थं चरन् श्रीमान् ददर्श च ननन्द च।।।।

Transliteration

tāṁ citra-mālyābharaṇāṁ kapirāja-hitaṅkaraḥ |

rāghavārthaṁ caran śrīmān dadarśa ca nananda ca ||

Translation

Славный Хануман — благожелатель царя обезьян — увидел тот город, украшенный разнообразными гирляндами и драгоценностями; странствуя по нему ради дела Рагхавы, он созерцал его и испытал сдержанную радость.

Word by Word

• śuśrāva: heard
• śuśrāva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• madhuram: sweet/melodious
• madhuram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with gītam

• gītam: song
• gītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tristhāna-svara-bhūṣitam: ornamented with three-register notes
• tristhāna-svara-bhūṣitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + svara (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; agrees with gītam; 'adorned with notes from three registers/places' (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: tristhānasvaraiḥ bhūṣitam)

• strīṇām: of women
• strīṇām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• mada-samṛddhānām: intoxicated/filled with passion
• mada-samṛddhānām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mada (प्रातिपदिक) + samṛddha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural; agrees with strīṇām; 'abounding in intoxication' (सप्तमी/तृतीया-भाव: madena samṛddhāḥ)

• divi: in heaven
• divi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• apsarasām: of apsarases
• apsarasām: Upamāna/Ṣaṣṭhī (उपमान/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• iva: like
• iva: Upamādyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle

Context

The son of the Wind-god, endowed with great strength, entered the enchanting Lanka and walked along the highway set with flowers of pearls.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sugrīva (implied by 'kapirāja')
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Dharma is loyal service aligned with truth: Hanumān’s movement and attention are governed by Rāma’s purpose, not personal pleasure.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān surveys Laṅkā’s decorated streets while keeping his search mission foremost.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Loyalty and purposeful joy: he can appreciate beauty, yet remains anchored in duty.