Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 9, Shloka 51

पुष्पकविमानवर्णनम्

Description of the Pushpaka Vimana and Ravana’s Inner Palace

Devanagari script

हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाश्चक्रवाकोपशोभिताः।आपगा इव ता रेजुर्जघनैः पुलिनैरिव।।5.9.51।।

Transliteration

haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇāś cakravākopaśobhitāḥ | āpagā iva tā rejur jaghanaiḥ pulinair iva || 5.9.51 ||

Translation

点缀着天鹅与迦兰陀婆鸟，又因鸳鸯鸟（cakravāka）而明丽，那些女子光彩如河流；她们的臀胯宛若河岸沙洲。

Word by Word

• haṃsa-kāraṇḍava-ākīrṇāḥ: crowded with swans and kāraṇḍavas
• haṃsa-kāraṇḍava-ākīrṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: haṃsa+kāraṇḍava+ākīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: haṃsaiḥ kāraṇḍavaiś ca ākīrṇāḥ (crowded with swans and kāraṇḍavas)

• cakravāka-upaśobhitāḥ: adorned by ruddy geese
• cakravāka-upaśobhitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cakravāka+upaśobhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: cakravākaiḥ upaśobhitāḥ (adorned by cakravākas)

• āpagāḥ: rivers
• āpagāḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpagā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमावाचक-अव्यय)

• tāḥ: those (women)
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rejuḥ: shone
• rejuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rāj (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• jaghanaiḥ: with hips
• jaghanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pulinaiḥ: with sandbanks
• pulinaiḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमावाचक-अव्यय)

Context

Their hips were like river banks crowded with swans, karandava and Chakravaka birds shining like rivers.

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• Ravana
• haṃsa (swan)
• kāraṇḍava (bird)
• cakravāka (ruddy goose)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as disciplined perception: the text models how to witness worldly splendor without being possessed by it—keeping truth (satya) of purpose foremost.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān continues scanning the palace interior, noticing ornaments and bodily forms through poetic comparisons to a river scene.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness (dhṛti) in Hanumān—his attention remains investigative, not indulgent.