Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 25

लङ्कादर्शनम्

Viewing Laṅkā and its Forest-Gardens

Devanagari script

मनोज्ञांकाननवतींपर्वतैरुपशोभिताम् ।नानाधातुविचित्रैश्चउद्यानैरुपशोभिताम् ।।6.39.25।।नानाविहङ्गासङ्घुष्टांनानामृगनिषेविताम् ।नानाकुसुमसञ्छन्नांनानाराक्षससेविताम् ।।6.39.26।।तांसमृद्धांसमृद्धार्धांलक्ष्मीनान्लक्ष्मणाग्रजः ।रावणस्यपुरींरामोददर्शसहवानरैः ।।6.39.27।।

Transliteration

manojñāṃ kānanavatīṃ parvatair upaśobhitām |

nānādhātu-vicitraiś ca udyānaiḥ upaśobhitām ||6.39.25||

nānāvihaṅga-saṅghuṣṭāṃ nānāmṛga-niṣevitām |

nānākusuma-sañchannāṃ nānārākṣasa-sevitām ||6.39.26||

tāṃ samṛddhāṃ samṛddhārhāṃ lakṣmīvān lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ |

rāvaṇasya purīṃ rāmo dadarśa saha-vānaraiḥ ||6.39.27||

Translation

Rāma—anh cả của Lakṣmaṇa, tự thân đầy đủ phúc thịnh và cát tường—cùng đoàn vānara nhìn thấy kinh thành của Rāvaṇa: đẹp đẽ với rừng cây, núi non điểm sắc bởi muôn khoáng thạch; vườn uyển tô bày; chim muông vang rền; muông thú, nhất là các loài nai, lui tới; hoa muôn sắc phủ kín; rākṣasa qua lại đông đảo—một đô thành sung túc, phồn vinh rực rỡ.

Word by Word

• tām: that (city)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• mahā-gṛha-sambādhām: densely packed with great mansions
• mahā-gṛha-sambādhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + sambādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महागृहैः सम्बाधा = crowded with great houses)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) √dṛś → दृष्ट्वा

• lakṣmaṇa-pūrvajaḥ: elder brother of Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇa-pūrvajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लक्ष्मणस्य पूर्वजः)

• nagarīm: city
• nagarīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• amara-prakhyaḥ: godlike, like an immortal
• amara-prakhyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक) + prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अमरैः प्रख्यः = like the immortals)

• vismayam: wonder, astonishment
• vismayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• prāpya: having attained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra- (उपसर्ग) + √āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-प्राय (absolutive/gerundial) √āp → प्राप्य (having attained)

• vīryavān: valiant, powerful
• vīryavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīryavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त

Context

Prosperous Rama, brother of Lakshmana along with Vanaras saw different kinds of forests, mountains filled with different kinds of minerals, delightful gardens endowed with different varieties of flowers, charming birds singing happily, frequented by a variety of deer, attended by Rakshasas. The city was blooming with prosperity.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Laṅkā
• Vānaras
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma here is the disciplined gaze of a righteous leader: Rāma observes the world as it is—its beauty, its inhabitants, its power—without losing commitment to satya (truth) and rightful action. Clear seeing precedes right doing.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma and the vānaras survey Laṅkā in detail—its natural richness, gardens, wildlife, flowers, and the presence of rākṣasas—just before the conflict intensifies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and steadiness (dhairya): Rāma’s composed assessment of the enemy environment while maintaining a righteous objective.