Shloka 18
लङ्काप्रवेशः
Hanuman Enters Lanka and Encounters Laṅkā-devatā
तां रत्नवसनोपेतां कोष्ठागारावतंसकाम्।यन्त्रागारस्तनीमृद्धां प्रमदामिव भूषिताम्।।।।तां नष्टतिमिरां दीप्तैर्भास्वरैश्च महागृहैः।नगरीं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य स ददर्श महाकपिः।।।।
tāṃ ratnavasanopetāṃ koṣṭhāgārāvataṃsakām | yantrāgārastanīmṛddhāṃ pramadām iva bhūṣitām ||
tāṃ naṣṭatimirāṃ dīptair bhāsvaraiś ca mahāgṛhaiḥ | nagarīṃ rākṣasendrasya sa dadarśa mahākapiḥ ||
रत्नवसनोपेतां, कोष्ठागारावतंसकां, यन्त्रागारस्तनीमृद्धां, प्रमदामिव भूषिताम्; दीप्तैर्भास्वरैश्च महागृहैः नष्टतिमिरां राक्षसेन्द्रस्य तां नगरीं स महाकपिः ददर्श।
Hanuman looked at the city of the demon king, whose darkness was dispelled by bright gems and mighty mansions as if it were a young maiden. The prosperous city was like a well decorated woman, adorned with ornaments having walls for her dress,the stables for her ear-rings, the armouries for her breasts.
FAQs
Dharma requires discernment: splendor can veil adharma. The verse frames Laṅkā’s beauty as alluring, yet it belongs to the rākṣasa-king—warning that outward brilliance does not guarantee righteousness.
After entering Laṅkā, Hanumān surveys the city’s opulence and illumination, noting its extraordinary prosperity.
Saṃyamita-dṛṣṭi (controlled perception): Hanumān observes carefully without losing focus on his duty to find Sītā.