Title: Sundarakanda Sarga 5: Exploring the Residences (Full Text & Meaning)

A high-definition digital rendering of Valmiki’s Sarga 5, optimized for daily parayana and deep study. 

Section 1: The Splendor of the Moonrise (Shlokas 1–7)

tataḥ sa madhyaṅgatamaṅśumantaṅ jyōtsnāvitānaṅ mahadudvamantam | dadarśa dhīmān divi bhānumantaṅ gōṣṭhē vṛṣaṅ mattamiva bhramantam || 1 

Thereafter, the Hanuman saw the Moon which was in the middle of the sky, spreading a vast sheet of moonlight, and which appeared like an intoxicated bull roaming in a cowshed (gaushala). (1)

lōkasya pāpāni vināśayantaṅ mahōdadhiṅ cāpi samēdhayantam | bhūtāni sarvāṇi virājayantaṅ dadarśa śītāṅśumathābhiyāntam || 2 

Hanuman saw the moon as it was rising in the sky—the one, who purifies the world's sins, causes the great oceans to swell, imparts a glow to all elements and beings, and whose rays are said to yield Amrita (the nectar of immortality). (2)

yā bhāti lakṣmīrbhuvi mandarasthā tathā pradōṣēṣu ca sāgarasthā | tathaiva tōyēṣu ca puṣkarasthā rarāja sā cāruniśākarasthā || 3 

The divine splendor (Lakshmi kala) that shines on Mount Mandara, on the sea during evening (pradosha kala), and lotuses in water, was radiating and visible in the moon's pleasant rays. (3)

haṅsō yathā rājatapañjarasthaḥ siṅhō yathā mandarakandarasthaḥ | vīrō yathā garvitakuñjarastha candrō.pi babhrāja tathāmbarasthaḥ || 4 

The Moon (Chandrama) appeared in the sky with a brilliant majesty, like a swan contained within a silver cage, a lion residing in a Mount Mandara cave, or a valiant warrior atop a musth elephant. (4)

sthitaḥ kakudmāniva tīkṣṇaśṛṅgō mahācalaḥ śvēta ivōccaśṛṅgaḥ | hastīva jāmbūnadabaddhaśṛṅgō rarāja candraḥ paripūrṇaśṛṅgaḥ || 5 The perfectly full Moon, shining majestically in the sky, was likened to three majestic sights: a sharp-horned bull, a great white mountain with a high peak, and a magnificent elephant with its tusks adorned with gold. (5)

vinaṣṭaśītāmbutuṣārapaṅkō mahāgrahagrāhavinaṣṭapaṅkaḥ | prakāśalakṣmyāśrayanirmalāṅkaḥ rarāja candrō bhagavān śaśāṅkaḥ || 6 

The fog and mire of cold water and snow were dispelled by the Moon's rays, and all its inherent impurities vanished because of the Sun's light reflecting upon it. Thus, with the presence of divine splendor (Lakshmi Kala) in its rays, the Moon's dark spots were gone, and it shone with perfect, pleasant radiance. (6)

śilātalaṅ prāpya yathā mṛgēndrō mahāraṇaṅ prāpya yathā gajēndraḥ | rājyaṅ samāsādya yathā narēndra stathāprakāśō virarāja candraḥ || 7 

Seated in the sky, the Moon shone clearly with the majesty of a lion standing sturdily upon a rock plateau, a royal elephant in the midst of a great war, or a king newly coronated and seated on his throne. (7)

Section 3: The Inhabitants of the Palaces (Shlokas 13–22)

dadarśa kāntāśca samālabhantya stathā parāstatra punaḥ svapantyaḥ | surūpavaktrāśca tathā hasantyaḥ kruddhāḥ parāścāpi viniḥśvasantya || 13 

Inside those palaces, some women were anointing themselves with sandalwood and other fragrant pastes, some women were going back to deep sleep, some beautiful women were smiling, and some were sighing. (13)

mahāgajaiścāpi tathā nadadbhiḥ supūjitaiścāpi tathā susadbhiḥ | rarāja vīraiśca viniḥśvasadbhiḥ hradō bhujaṅgairiva niḥśvasadbhiḥ || 14 

That inner city of Lanka was surrounded by roars of elephants, it was also flourishing with some honorable assemblies. There were also warriors who were sighing, it was like a lake filled with hissing serpents. (14)

buddhipradhānān rucirābhidhānān saṅśraddhadhānān jagataḥ pradhānān | nānāvidhānān rucirābhidhānān dadarśa tasyāṅ puri yātudhānān || 15 

In that city, Hanuman saw Rakshasas who were pre-eminent in intelligence, possessed beautiful names, were well-revered, and were even considered asthikas (believers). (15)

nananda dṛṣṭvā sa ca tān surūpān nānāguṇānātmaguṇānurūpān | vidyōtamānānsa tadānurūpān dadarśa kāṅścicca punarvirūpān || 16 

Hanuman was content to see those Rakshasas who were beautiful in form, of good nature, and whose behavior matched their positive character attributes. However, he also observed others who were ugly in appearance and displayed similarly crooked behavior. (16)

tatō varārhāḥ suviśuddhabhāvā stēṣāṅ striyastatra mahānubhāvāḥ | priyēṣu pānēṣu ca saktabhāvā dadarśa tārā iva suprabhāvāḥ || 17 

Thereafter, Hanuman saw women who were very pure, who adored their husbands, and who were the best match for those elite Rakshasas. He saw women of good virtue and obedient. He also saw some women who were attracted to their lovers and drinks, who were sparkling like stars. (17)

śriyā jvalantīstrapayōpagūḍhā niśīthakālē ramaṇōpagūḍhāḥ | dadarśa kāścitpramadōpagūḍhā yathā vihaṅgāḥ kusumōpagūḍhāḥ || 18 

Hanuman saw some women who were shining with splendor, enveloped by intoxication, embraced by their lovers in the middle of the night, and immersed in delight, just as birds are enveloped by flowers. (18)

anyāḥ punarharmyatalōpaviṣṭā statra priyāṅkēṣu sukhōpaviṣṭāḥ | bhartuḥ priyā dharmaparā niviṣṭā dadarśa dhīmān madanābhiviṣṭāḥ || 19 

Hauman, the wise one, saw women who were living by dharma, were seated on the palace roofs, comfortable resting on the lap of their beloved husbands. They were pleasing their husbands and were immersed in bliss. (19)

aprāvṛtāḥ kāñcanarājivarṇāḥ kāścitparārthyāstapanīyavarṇāḥ | punaśca kāścicchaśalakṣmavarṇāḥ kāntaprahīṇā rucirāṅgavarṇāḥ || 20 S

ome of those women were without their veil and radiating like gold. Some lovely women were shining like molten gold, and others were pure and bright like the moon, while a few charming ones were in distress due to the absence of their lovers. (20)

tataḥ priyān prāpya manōbhirāmāḥ suprītiyuktāḥ prasamīkṣyarāmāḥ | gṛhēṣu hṛṣṭāḥ paramābhirāmāḥ haripravīraḥ sa dadarśa rāmāḥ || 21 

Later, Hanuman saw women who were happy by obtaining the lover they like. Additionally, some beautiful women were living with great happiness in their home. (21)

candraprakāśāśca hi vaktramālāḥ vakrākṣipakṣmāśca sunētramālāḥ | vibhūṣaṇānāṅ ca dadarśa mālāḥ śatahradānāmiva cārumālāḥ || 22 

He also saw the faces of women that were radiating like the moon's rays, with curved eyebrows, and rows of ornaments they were wearing, which resembled streaks of lightning. (22)