hasita udghusta ninadaih tuurya ghosa purah saraih |

vajra ankusha nikaashaih ca vajra jaala vibhuusitaih || 5-4-5

griha medhaih purii ramyaa babhaase dyauh iva ambudaih |

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.

prajajvaala tadaa lankaa raksah gana grihaih shubhaih || 5-4-6

sita abhra sadrishaih citraih padma svastika samsthitaih |

vardhamaana grihaih ca api sarvatah suvibhaasitaih || 5-4-7

Then that city of Lanka shone brilliantly being well decorated by the houses of Rakshasas. These were modern houses which equaled white clouds, which were surprising with the shape of lotus and swastika and which were auspicious.

taam citra maalya aabharanaam kapi raaja hitam karah |

raaghava artham caran shriimaan dadarsha ca nananda ca || 5-4-8

That glorious Hanuma, performer of beneficial deeds for Sugreeva the king of monkeys, moved around the city of Lanka which had wonderful garlands and jewelry, for the sake of Sri Rama. He saw the city and became happy too.

bhavanaadbhavanam gachchhn dadarsha pavanaatmajah |

vividhaakritiruupaani bhavanaani tatastatah || 5-4-9

Going from one building to another, Hanuma saw buildings in various shapes and forms on every side.

shushraava madhuram giitam tri sthaana svara bhuusitam |

striinaam mada samriddhaanaam divi ca apsarasaam iva || 5-4-10

Hanuma heard a sweet song which was decorated by sound from the three svaras [voice] - Mandra, Madhya and Tara of love lone [isolated] women like Apsara women in heaven.

shushraava kaancii ninadam nuupuraanaam ca nihsvanam |

sopaana ninadaamh caiva bhavanesu mahaatmanam || 5-4-11

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.

aasphotita ninaadaamh ca ksveditaamh ca tatah tatah |

shushraava japataam tatra mantran rakshogriheshhu vai || 5-4-12

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.

svaadhyaaya nirataamh caiva yaatu dhaanaan dadarsha sah |

raavana stava samyuktaan garjatah raaksasaan api || 5-4-13

There Hanuma heard ritual chanting 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.

raaja maargam samaavritya sthitam raksah balam mahat |

dadarsha madhyame gulme raaksasasya caraan bahuun || 5-4-14

He saw many spies of Ravana and a big army of ogres which stood surrounding the royal highway in the central zone of city.

diiksitaan jatilaan mundaan gah ajina ambara vaasasah |

darbha musti praharanaan agni kunda aayudhaamh tathaa || 5-4-15

kuuta mudgara paaniimh ca danda aayudha dharaan api |

eka aksa aneka karnaamh ca calal lamba payah dharaan || 5-4-16

karaalaan bhugna vaktraamh ca vikataan vaamanaamh tathaa |

dhanvinah khadginah caiva shataghnii musala aayudhaan || 5-4-17

parigha uttama hastaamh ca vicitra kavaca ujjvalaan |

naatisthuulaan naatikrishaan naatidiirgha atihrasvakaan || 5-4-18

naatigauraannaatikrishhnaannaatikubjaanna vaamanaan |

viruupaan bahu ruupaamh ca suruupaamh ca suvarcasah || 5-4-19

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 armor, 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.

dhvajiin pataakinashchaiva dadarsha vividhaayudhaan |

shakti vriksa aayudhaamh caiva pattisha ashani dhaarinah || 5-4-20

ksepanii paasha hastaamh ca dadarsha sa mahaa kapih |

sragvinah tv anuliptaamh ca vara aabharana bhuusitaan || 5-4-21

naanaaveshhasamaayuktaanyathaasvairagataan bahuun |

tiiksna shuula dharaamh caiva vajrinah ca mahaa balaan | | 5-4-22

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 jewelry, those who had various kinds of appearances roaming freely at will, those who carried sharp spikes and thunderbolts.

shata saahasram avyagram aaraksam madhyamam kapih |

rakshodhipatinirdishhtam dadarshaantahpuraagratah || | 5-4-23

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.

sa tadaa tadgriham drishhtvaa mahaahaatakatoranam |

raakshasendrasya vikhyaatamadrimuurdhni pratishhthitam || 5-4-24

pundariikaavatamsaabhih parikhaabhiralamkritam |

praakaara aavritam atyantam dadarsha sa mahaa kapih || 5-4-25

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.

trivistapa nibham divyam divya naada vinaaditam |

vaaji hesita samghustam naaditam bhuusanaih tathaa || 5-4-26

rathaih yaanaih vimaanaih ca tathaa gaja hayaih shubhaih |

vaaranaih ca catuh dantaih shveta abhra nicaya upamaih || 5-4-27

bhuusitam rucira dvaaram mattaih ca mriga paksibhih |

raaksasa adhipateh guptam aavivesha griham kapih || 5-4-28

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.

sahemajaambuunadachakravaalam |

mahaarha muktaamanibhuushhitaantam |

paraarthyakaalaaguruchandanaaktam |

sa raavanaanthpuramaavivesha || 5-4-29

Hanuma entered the inner city of Ravana which was filled with gold, which had a golden court-yard, with a central area decorated by pearls and diamonds of great value and sprinkled daily with water containing superb algallocum and sandal-wood.

|| iti raamaayane sundarakaande chaturthah sargah ||

Thus, this is the 4th chapter in Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate

References

Durga, Kishore Kopalle, and K. M. K. Murthy. (2001). Sundara Kanda - Book Of Beauty.

Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.

Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.