Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 5
लङ्कादर्शनम्
Viewing Laṅkā and its Forest-Gardens
चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागसालतालसमाकुला ।तमालवनसञ्छन्नानागमालासमावृता ।।6.39.3।।हिन्तालैरर्जुनैर्नीपैस्सप्तपर्णैश्चपुष्पितैः ।तिलकैःकर्णिकारैश्चपाटलैश्चसमन्ततः ।।6.39.4।।शुशुभेपुष्पिताग्रैश्चलतापरिगतैर्द्रुमैः ।लङ्काबहुविधैर्दिव्यैर्यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती ।।6.39.5।।विचित्रकुसुमोपेतैरक्तकोमलपल्लवैः ।शाद्वलैश्चतथानीपैश्चित्राभिर्वनराजिभिः ।।6.39.6।।
campakāśokapunnāgasālatālasamākulā |
tamālavana-sañchannā nāgamālāsamāvṛtā ||6.39.3||
hintālair arjunair nīpaiḥ saptaparṇaiś ca puṣpitaiḥ |
tilakaiḥ karṇikāraiś ca pāṭalaiś ca samantataḥ ||6.39.4||
śuśubhe puṣpitāgraiś ca latāparigatair drumaiḥ |
laṅkā bahuvidhair divyair yathendrasyāmarāvatī ||6.39.5||
vicitrakusumopetair raktakomala-pallavaiḥ |
śādvalaiś ca tathā nīpaiś citrābhir vanarājibhiḥ ||6.39.6||
Ang Laṅkā ay hitik sa kagubatan—punô ng mga punong campaka, aśoka, punnāga, sāla, tāla at iba pa; natatabingan ng mga punlaan ng tamāla at napalilibutan ng nāgamāla. Sa lahat ng dako’y nagningning ang mga namumulaklak na hintāla, arjuna, nīpa, saptaparṇa, tilaka, karṇikāra at pāṭala. Sa mga punong may koronang bulaklak at mga baging na yumayakap sa katawan, kumislap ang lungsod sa sari-saring banal na ganda, gaya ng Amarāvatī ni Indra—maningning sa iba’t ibang bulaklak, malalambot na mapulang usbong, luntiang damuhan, at makukulay na hanay ng gubat.
The city of Lanka looked charming with tall towers resembling white cluster of clouds fortified with gold and silver.
FAQs
The verse indirectly highlights dharma through discernment: outward splendor can mask inner adharma. Laṅkā’s beauty is real, yet the narrative context reminds the reader that righteousness is judged by conduct and truth (satya), not by wealth or ornament.
As the campaign reaches Laṅkā, the poem pauses to describe the city’s extraordinary beauty—its groves, flowering trees, and garden-like forest belts—seen in the approach to the impending confrontation with Rāvaṇa.
Rāma’s steadiness (dhairya) and moral clarity are emphasized by contrast: even when faced with a dazzling city, his purpose remains fixed on restoring dharma and satya rather than being distracted by grandeur.