Shloka 1

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman’s Stealth Entry and Survey of Lanka

Devanagari script

स निर्जित्य पुरीं श्रेष्ठां लङ्कां तां कामरूपिणीम्।विक्रमेण महातेजा हनुमान् कपिसत्तमः।।।।अद्वारेण च महाबाहुः प्राकारमभिपुप्लुवे।

Transliteration

sa nirjitya purīṃ śreṣṭhāṃ laṅkāṃ tāṃ kāmarūpiṇīm |

vikrameṇa mahātejā hanumān kapisattamaḥ ||5.4.1||

advāreṇa ca mahābāhuḥ prākāram abhipupluve |

Translation

战胜了那座殊胜之城楞迦的守护神力——能随意变幻形相者——光辉威猛的哈奴曼、婆那罗之最，以勇力从无门之处跃过城垣。

Word by Word

• saḥ: he (Hanuman)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• nirjitya: having conquered
• nirjitya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√ji (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) ‘having conquered’

• purīm: city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• śreṣṭhām: excellent
• śreṣṭhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying purīm

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; apposition to purīm

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; demonstrative

• kāma-rūpiṇīm: able to assume forms at will
• kāma-rūpiṇīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying laṅkām; tatpuruṣa ‘having form at will’

• vikrameṇa: by prowess
• vikrameṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana; instrumental of means

• mahātejāḥ: the mighty/splendid one
• mahātejāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi used as epithet of Hanumān ‘of great splendor’

• hanumān: Hanuman
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• kapi-sattamaḥ: best of monkeys
• kapi-sattamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक) + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘best of monkeys’

• advāreṇa: by a non-gate way (not through the gate)
• advāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana; instrumental ‘by a non-door/through a doorless (way)’ i.e., not through the gate

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• mahābāhuḥ: the strong-armed one
• mahābāhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi epithet ‘one with great arms’

• prākāram: rampart/wall
• prākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• abhipupluve: leapt over
• abhipupluve: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√plu (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa Ekavacana; ātmanepada; abhi- + √plu ‘leapt over/onto’

Context

Hanuman, the strong-shouldered, mighty monkey chief having defeated the (presiding) deity of Lanka who could assume any form at her will, leaped over the boundary wall of the rear entrance of the excellent city by his prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā (city/deity personification)

FAQs

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

Dharma-guided force: Hanumān uses strength only as required for the mission—overcoming obstacles without needless harm, keeping purpose aligned to righteous rescue.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān has entered Laṅkā for reconnaissance and the search for Sītā; after confronting the city’s guardian/presiding deity, he proceeds by vaulting the fortification.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage with restraint: valor (vikrama) coupled with strategic discretion (entering at an unguarded point).