Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 32

पुष्पकविमानवर्णनम्

Description of the Pushpaka Vimana and Ravana’s Inner Palace

Devanagari script

प्रध्यायत इवापश्यत्प्रदीपांस्तत्र काञ्चनान्।धूर्तानिव महाधूतैर्देवनेन पराजितान्।।5.9.32।।

Transliteration

pradhyāyata ivāpaśyat pradīpāṁs tatra kāñcanān |

dhūrtān iva mahādhūrtair devena parājitān ||5.9.32||

Translation

他在那里看见金灯安然长明；在他眼中，它们仿佛沉思的赌徒，被骰局中的老练高手所击败。

Word by Word

• प्रध्यायतः: as if (he) were pondering
• प्रध्यायतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (implicit)

• इव: as if
• इव: उपमा-सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रदीपान्: lamps
• प्रदीपान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Deśa-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• काञ्चनान्: golden
• काञ्चनान्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying प्रदीपान्

• धूर्तान्: gamblers/rogues
• धूर्तान्: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; used as upamāna with इव

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय

• महाधूतैः: by great/expert gamblers
• महाधूतैः: करण (Instrument/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + धूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तः धूर्ताः)

• देवनेन: by gambling/dice-play
• देवनेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'dice-play' as instrument

• पराजितान्: defeated
• पराजितान्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + जि (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) 'पराजित'; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; qualifying धूर्तान्

Context

Seeing the golden lamps that stood burning steadily, Hanuman thought they looked like gamblers in deep thought defeated by expert gamblers in a game of dice.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as disciplined attention: Hanumān remains steady-minded and observant even amid luxury, using careful perception rather than being distracted.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, moving through Rāvaṇa’s palace at night while searching for Sītā, notices the golden lamps and interprets their steady glow through a vivid simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s vigilance and self-control—he stays focused on the mission despite the palace’s splendor.