Chapter 4
Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty
स निर्जत्य पुरीम् लण्का श्रेष्ठाम् ताम् कामरूपिणीम्
विक्रमेण महातेजा हनुमान् कपिसत्तमः
sa nirjatya purīm laṇkā śreṣṭhām tām kāmarūpiṇīm
vikrameṇa mahātejā hanumān kapisattamaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That Hanuma the best among Vanaras, the great radiant one, the long armed one, conquered with His might the best Lanka who is capable of assuming desired form. He then leapt over the city wall at a place that was not a gate.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Desiring the benefit of the king of Vanaras Sugreeva, that Hanuma entered the city of Lanka and thus actually placed His left foot on the enemies' heads.
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That son of Vayu endowed with great strength, entered the city at night and took the grand road shone by flowers and pearls. After that Hanuma went towards that beautiful city of Lanka.
हसित उद्घुष्ट निनदैः तूर्य घोष पुरः सरैः
वज्र अन्कुश निकाशैः च वज्र जाल विभूषितैः
hasita udghuṣṭa ninadaiḥ tūrya ghoṣa puraḥ saraiḥ
vajra ankuśa nikāśaiḥ ca vajra jāla vibhūṣitaiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The beautiful city shone like the sky together with clouds, with its cloud like houses filled with sounds of laughter and with sounds of musical instruments at the interior, equal in strength to diamonds and clubs and with windows decorated with diamonds.
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then that city of Lanka shone brilliantly being well decorated by the houses of Rakshasas. These were modern houses which equalled white clouds, which were surprising with the shape of lotus and swastika and which were auspicious.
ताम् चित्र माल्य आभरणाम् कपि राज हितम् करः
राघव अर्थम् चरन् श्रीमान् ददर्श च ननन्द च
tām citra mālya ābharaṇām kapi rāja hitam karaḥ
rāghava artham caran śrīmān dadarśa ca nananda ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That glorious Hanuma, performer of beneficial deeds for Sugreeva the king of monkeys, moved around the city of Lanka which had wonderful garlands and jewellery, for the sake of Sri Rama. He saw the city and became happy too.
भवनाद्भवनं गच्छ्न् ददर्श पवनात्मजः
विविधाकृतिरूपाणि भवनानि ततस्ततः
bhavanādbhavanaṃ gacchn dadarśa pavanātmajaḥ
vividhākṛtirūpāṇi bhavanāni tatastataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Going from one building to another, Hanuma saw buildings in various shapes and forms on every side.
शुश्राव मधुरम् गीतम् त्रि स्थान स्वर भूषितम्
स्त्रीणाम् मद समृद्धानाम् दिवि च अप्सरसाम् इव
śuśrāva madhuram gītam tri sthāna svara bhūṣitam
strīṇām mada samṛddhānām divi ca apsarasām iva
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma heard a sweet song which was decorated by sound from the three svaras - Mandra, Madhya and Tara of love lorne women like Apsara women in heaven.
शुश्राव कान्ची निनदम् नूपुराणाम् च निह्स्वनम्
सोपान निनदाम्ः चैव भवनेषु महात्मनम्
śuśrāva kāncī ninadam nūpurāṇām ca nihsvanam
sopāna ninadāmḥ caiva bhavaneṣu mahātmanam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma also heard there and there sound from the tinkling of ornaments worn around the waist in the houses of wealthy people, sounds of footfall over stair, sound from clapping of arms by warriors and roar of ogres.
आस्फोटित निनादाम्ः च क्ष्वेडिताम्ः च ततः ततः
शुश्राव जपताम् तत्र मन्त्रन् रक्षोगृहेषु वै
āsphoṭita ninādāmḥ ca kṣveḍitāmḥ ca tataḥ tataḥ
śuśrāva japatām tatra mantran rakṣogṛheṣu vai
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma also heard there and there sound from the tinkling of ornaments worn around the waist in the houses of wealthy people, sounds of footfall over stair, sound from clapping of arms by warriors and roar of ogres.
स्वाध्याय निरताम्ः चैव यातु धानान् ददर्श सः
रावण स्तव सम्युक्तान् गर्जतः राक्षसान् अपि
svādhyāya niratāmḥ caiva yātu dhānān dadarśa saḥ
rāvaṇa stava samyuktān garjataḥ rākṣasān api
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
There Hanuma heard ritual chantings muttered by rakshasas in their houses. He saw ogres engaged in study of Vedas. He also saw roaring rakshasas who came together to praise Ravana.
राज मार्गम् समावृत्य स्थितम् रक्षः बलम् महत्
ददर्श मध्यमे गुल्मे राक्षसस्य चरान् बहून्
rāja mārgam samāvṛtya sthitam rakṣaḥ balam mahat
dadarśa madhyame gulme rākṣasasya carān bahūn
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
He saw many spies of Ravana and a big army of ogres which stood surrounding the royal highway in the central zone of city.
दीक्षितान् जटिलान् मुण्डान् गः अजिन अम्बर वाससः
दर्भ मुष्टि प्रहरणान् अग्नि कुण्ड आयुधाम्ः तथा
dīkṣitān jaṭilān muṇḍān gaḥ ajina ambara vāsasaḥ
darbha muṣṭi praharaṇān agni kuṇḍa āyudhāmḥ tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma saw those who were initiated into various Vedic practices, those who wore matted locks on their head, those who had shaven heads, those who wore cow hides and other clothing, those who were carrying Kusa grass as weapons and also those who had fire vessels as weapons, those who carried hammers and clubs in their hands and also those who had worn staffs as weapons, hose who were one-eyed, those who had one ear, hose who were pot-bellied and with hanging breast, those who had horrible appearances, those with twisted mouths, those who were horrific and also short people, those who carried bows and arrows those who carried swords, those who carried pestles and clubs as weapons, those who carried excellent Parighas in their hands, those who shone with strange armour, those who were not very fat, those who were not too thin, those who were neither tall nor short, those who were not very fair, those who were not very dark, those who were not very hunchbacked, those who were not very short, those who had great brilliance, those who carried banners, those who carried flags and those who carried different weapons.
ध्वजीन् पताकिनश्चैव ददर्श विविधायुधान्
शक्ति वृक्ष आयुधाम्ः चैव पट्टिश अशनि धारिणः
dhvajīn patākinaścaiva dadarśa vividhāyudhān
śakti vṛkṣa āyudhāmḥ caiva paṭṭiśa aśani dhāriṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma saw many people, who had great might, who carried javelins and trees as weapons, those who carried Pattisas and thunderbolts, those who carried in their hands sling and nooses, those who carried flowered garlands, wearing sandal paste and decorated with best jewellery, those who had various kinds of appearances roaming freely at will, those who carried sharp spikes and thunderbolts.
शत साहस्रम् अव्यग्रम् आरक्षम् मध्यमम् कपिः
रक्षोधिपतिनिर्दिष्टम् ददर्शान्तःपुराग्रतः
śata sāhasram avyagram ārakṣam madhyamam kapiḥ
rakṣodhipatinirdiṣṭam dadarśāntaḥpurāgrataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma saw at the front of inner city, a hundred thousand central protective force which was attentive and was positioned there at the command of Ravana.
स तदा तद्गृहम् दृष्ट्वा महाहाटकतोरणम्
राक्षसेन्द्रस्य विख्यातमद्रिमूर्ध्नि प्रतिष्ठितम्
sa tadā tadgṛham dṛṣṭvā mahāhāṭakatoraṇam
rākṣasendrasya vikhyātamadrimūrdhni pratiṣṭhitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That Hanuma saw Ravana's house with a golden doorway. That famed house was on the top of a mountain. Motes filled with white lotuses surrounded it. It was also surrounded by a compound wall. He watched the house again and again.
त्रिविष्टप निभम् दिव्यम् दिव्य नाद विनादितम्
वाजि हेषित सम्घुष्टम् नादितम् भूषणैः तथा
triviṣṭapa nibham divyam divya nāda vināditam
vāji heṣita samghuṣṭam nāditam bhūṣaṇaiḥ tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The great Hanuma entered secretly Ravana's inner city which was equal to paradise, rendered noisy by neighing of horses and tinkling of ornaments, by chariots, vehicles and aerial-cars and decorated by auspicious elephants and horses and great elephants with four tusks and by birds and animals in heat. It had beautiful entrances and was protected by thousands of rakshasas with great strength.
