Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 15

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

रात्रौ न हि सुदृष्टा मे दुर्गकर्मविधानतः।अवश्यमेव द्रष्टव्या मया लङ्का निशाक्षये।।5.53.15।।

Transliteration

rātrau na hi sudṛṣṭā me durgakarmavidhānataḥ | avaśyam eva draṣṭavyā mayā laṅkā niśākṣaye ||5.53.15||

Translation

రాత్రివేళ కోటల నిర్మాణం, రక్షణ ఏర్పాట్ల కారణంగా లంకను నేను బాగా చూడలేకపోయాను; కాబట్టి రాత్రి ముగిసిన తరువాత నేను తప్పక మళ్లీ లంకను పరిశీలించాలి।

Word by Word

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: अधिकरण (time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• सुदृष्टा: well observed
• सुदृष्टा: विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘well-seen/clearly observed’ (agrees with लङ्का)

• मे: by me/of me
• मे: सम्बन्ध (possessor/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• दुर्गकर्मविधानतः: due to the arrangement/knowledge of the fortifications
• दुर्गकर्मविधानतः: हेतु (cause/reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb ‘from/because of’); समास: (दुर्गस्य कर्मणः विधानम्) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, ततः ‘-तः’

• अवश्यम्: certainly/necessarily
• अवश्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: necessarily)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• द्रष्टव्या: must be seen
• द्रष्टव्या: विधेय (obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with लङ्का

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (agent in passive/gerundive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• लङ्का: Lanka
• लङ्का: कर्म/विषय (thing to be seen)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• निशा-क्षये: at the end of the night
• निशा-क्षये: अधिकरण (time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निशायाः क्षयः)

Context

'Indeed I saw Lanka at night for which I could not acquire proper knowledge about the fortification of the city. Surely it should be seen by me now after the night has passed.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Dharma requires diligence: a servant of a righteous cause must seek clear knowledge, not act on partial observation or darkness (literal or moral).

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān recognizes his earlier night-time survey was incomplete, especially regarding defenses, and resolves to inspect Laṅkā by daylight.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Pramāda-abhāva (carefulness) and thoroughness in fulfilling responsibility.