Shloka 7

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

प्रजज्वाल ततो लङ्का रक्षोगणगृहैः शुभैः।।5.4.6।।सिताभ्रसदृशैश्चित्रैः पद्मस्वस्तिकसंस्थितैः।वर्धमानगृहैश्चापि सर्वतः सुविभूषिता।।5.4.7।।

Transliteration

prajajvāla tato laṅkā rakṣo-gaṇa-gṛhaiḥ śubhaiḥ |

sitābhra-sadṛśaiś citraiḥ padma-svastika-saṁsthitaiḥ |

vardhamāna-gṛhaiś cāpi sarvataḥ su-vibhūṣitā ||

Translation

Bấy giờ Laṅkā rực rỡ khắp nơi bởi những dinh thự cát tường của các đoàn rākṣasa—sơn vẽ kỳ diệu như mây trắng, bày hình hoa sen và dấu svastika, lại dựng tầng tầng cao vút, trang hoàng bốn phía.

Word by Word

• bhavanāt: from a house
• bhavanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (पञ्चमी), Singular

• bhavanam: to a house
• bhavanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• gacchan: going
• gacchan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; Parasmaipada

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• pavana-ātmajaḥ: son of the Wind (Hanuman)
• pavana-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; pavanasya ātmajaḥ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• vividha-ākṛti-rūpāṇi: of various shapes and forms
• vividha-ākṛti-rūpāṇi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक) + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural; agrees with bhavanāni; dvandva of ākṛti and rūpa, qualified by vividha

• bhavanāni: houses
• bhavanāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavana (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• tataḥ: from there/then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• tataḥ: here and there
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb; repetition indicates 'here and there'

Context

Hanuman entered the harem of Ravana surrounded by walls of gold inlaid with precious pearls and other gems and sprinkled with excellent black agaru and sandal water.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে সুন্দরকাণ্ডে চতুর্থস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the fourth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma calls for moral clarity: even when a city displays ‘auspicious’ symbols and grandeur, righteousness is judged by conduct and truth (satya), not ornamentation.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator describes Laṅkā’s radiant, richly decorated rākṣasa residences that Hanumān sees while moving through the city.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steady vigilance: Hanumān continues observing and advancing, not diverted by visual magnificence.