Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 39

पुष्पकविमानवर्णनम्

Description of the Pushpaka Vimana and Ravana’s Inner Palace

Devanagari script

इमानि मुखपद्मानि नियतं मत्तषट्पदाः।अम्बुजानीव फुल्लानि प्रार्थयन्ति पुनः पुनः।।5.9.39।।

Transliteration

imāni mukhapadmāni niyataṁ mattaṣaṭpadāḥ |

ambujānīva phullāni prārthayanti punaḥ punaḥ ||5.9.39||

Translation

诚然，正如醉蜜的蜂儿一次又一次飞回盛开的莲花，这些蜂儿也必会反复眷恋这些莲华般的面容。

Word by Word

• इमानि: these
• इमानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; demonstrative

• मुख-पद्मानि: lotus-like faces
• मुख-पद्मानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (पद्मानि इव मुखानि / पद्मसदृशानि मुखानि)

• नियतम्: always/constantly
• नियतम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• मत्त-षट्पदाः: intoxicated bees
• मत्त-षट्पदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + षट्पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (मत्ताः षट्पदाः)

• अम्बुजानि: lotuses
• अम्बुजानि: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अम्बुज = water-born lotus)

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

• फुल्लानि: bloomed
• फुल्लानि: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √फुल्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying अम्बुजानि

• प्रार्थयन्ति: seek/desire
• प्रार्थयन्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण; पुनरुक्ति for emphasis

Context

The intoxicated bees would again and again long to enjoy these beautiful faces which were like blooming lotuses.

Characters & Entities

• bees (ṣaṭpada/bhramara)
• lotuses (ambuja/padma)
• women (implied)

FAQs

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

It warns by implication about kāma (desire): attraction returns repeatedly like bees to flowers; dharma requires governing desire rather than being governed by it.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration continues describing the women’s faces with lotus imagery, extending to the natural behavior of bees drawn to blossoms.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Temperance: Hanumān is not portrayed as a ‘bee’ drawn to pleasure; he remains committed to satya and duty.