Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 4, Shloka 23

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

शतसाहस्रमव्यग्रमारक्षं मध्यमं कपिः।रक्षोधिपतिनिर्दिष्टं ददर्शान्तःपुराग्रतः।।।।

Transliteration

śatasāhasram avyagram ārakṣaṃ madhyamaṃ kapiḥ |

rakṣodhipati-nirdiṣṭaṃ dadarśāntaḥpurāgrataḥ ||

Translation

เบื้องหน้าห้องในแห่งวัง มหาวานรเห็นกองยามเฝ้าระวังจำนวนแสนหนึ่ง—เป็นทหารชั้นกลาง—ซึ่งถูกจัดตั้งไว้ตามพระบัญชาของจอมแห่งรากษส

Word by Word

• शतसाहस्रम्: one hundred thousand
• शतसाहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + साहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (Dvigu numeral compound: 'hundred-thousand' = 100,000); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अव्यग्रम्: vigilant, undistracted
• अव्यग्रम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + व्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'not distracted, alert'

• आरक्षम्: guard-force
• आरक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + रक्ष् (धातु) → आरक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'guard, garrison'

• मध्यमम्: central, in the middle
• मध्यमम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'middle/central' (qualifying ārakṣam)

• कपिः: the monkey (Hanuman)
• कपिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• रक्षोधिपति: lord of demons
• रक्षोधिपति: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa: 'lord of rākṣasas'); समासपूर्वपद in compound with nirdiṣṭam

• निर्दिष्टम्: appointed, stationed
• निर्दिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + दिश् (धातु) → निर्दिष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); 'appointed/ordered'

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्तःपुराग्रतः: in front of the harem
• अन्तःपुराग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तःपुर + अग्रतः (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (Avyayībhāva: 'in front of the inner apartments'); अव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)

Context

Hanuman saw in front of the harem one hundred thousand strong, vigilant soldiers of a middle rank ordered by the lord of demons.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā
• Antaḥpura (inner apartments/harem area)
• Rakṣodhipati (Rāvaṇa, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responsible strategy: a righteous mission must account for real-world obstacles (massive security) and proceed with intelligence rather than reckless violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān reaches a heavily guarded zone near the inner palace area, indicating where Sītā might be held or where royal quarters lie.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast prudence—he evaluates the scale of opposition before acting.