Sundarakanda Sarga 8: Detailed Description of the Pushpaka (Full Text & Meaning)
Sundarakanda Sarga 8: Detailed Description of the Pushpaka (Full Text & Meaning)
Home > Sundarakanda > Sarga 8
Read Sundarakanda Sarga 8 with full Sanskrit Shlokas and verbatim English meanings. Hanumān beholds the legendary Pushpaka Vimana, the celestial aerial car stolen from Kubera. Witness the detailed description of this self-moving vehicle, decorated with precious gems and symbolic carvings, standing as a testament to Ravana's stolen glory. Download PDF for convenience or read along online at Kalady.org
| Detail | Total Shlokas: 8 | Primary Character: Hanuman (Maruti) | Key Events: Puṣpaka-Svarūpa-Varṇanam (Description of the Vimana’s Form), Viśvakarma-Kṛti-Praśasya (Praise of its Architecture), Mana-Anusāra-Gamanam (Flight directed by thought) | Location: Center of Ravana's Palace |
sa tasya madhyē bhavanasya saṅsthitaṅ mahadvimānaṅ maṇivajracitritam | pratapta jāmbūnadajāla kṛtrimaṅ dadarśa vīraḥ pavanātmajaḥ kapiḥ || 1
The brave Hanuman, son of the wind-god, beheld the great Pushpaka Vimana right in the very center of Ravana’s palace. This magnificent aerial chariot was a masterpiece, glittering with embedded diamonds and jewels and featuring exquisite lattice-work crafted in gold. (1)
tadapramēyāpratikāra kṛtrimaṅ kṛtaṅ svayaṅ sādhviti viśvakarmaṇā | divaṅ gataṅ vāyupathapratiṣṭhitaṅ vyarājatādityapathasya lakṣmavat || 2
That aerial chariot was an immeasurable, unequalled, and flawless work of art, which the divine architect Vishwakarma himself created and declared to be excellent by all. Situated in the sky, it could wander anywhere, shining like the sun’s path. (2)
na tatra kiñcinna kṛtaṅ prayatnatō na tatra kiñcinna mahārharatnavat | na tē viśēṣā niyatāḥ surēṣvapi na tatra kiñcinna mahāviśēṣavat || 3
The Pushpaka Vimana was a masterpiece of flawless design: there was nothing on it that was not crafted with the utmost care and effort, and nothing that was not adorned with precious jewels. The special features present in that chariot were not even found in the mansions of the Devas. What more is there to say? There was truly no subject or object that was not depicted in it. (3)
tapaḥ samādhānaparākramārjitaṅ manaḥ samādhānavicāracāriṇam | anēkasaṅsthāna viśēṣanirmitaṅ tatastatastulyaviśēṣadarśanam || 4
Hanuman saw that Vimana, which had been acquired through penance, concentration, and valor (by its original owner, Kubera, and then taken by Ravana). It was capable of moving according to the thought and will of its driver. It was constructed with many unique and special features and forms (like assembly halls, dining halls, spaces for entertainment) and it displayed a similar distinction and magnificence in every part of its structure. (4)
manassamādhāya tu śīghragāminaṁ durāvaraṁ mārutatulyagāminaṁ | manō’bhirāmaṁ śradiṁdunirmalaṁ vicitrakūṭaṁ śikharaṁ girēryathā || 5
Hanuman beheld the Vimana, which could read the mind of the driver, swiftly move, and travel at the speed of the wind, making it hard for enemies to restrain. It was like a mansion of the elite and virtuous, capable of providing comfort and happiness like heaven. (5)
viśēṣamālambya viśēṣasaṅsthitaṅ vicitrakūṭaṅ bahukūṭamaṇḍitam | manō.bhirāmaṅ śaradindunirmalaṅ vicitrakūṭaṅ śikharaṅ girēryathā || 6
The celestial chariot was set in a singularly magnificent manner, distinguished by its unique and exquisite structure. Adorned with a multitude of wonderfully varied pinnacles and decorative peaks, the Vimana was utterly charming to the mind and pure as the full moon in autumn, perfectly resembling the majestic summit of a beautifully variegated mountain. (6)
vahanti yaṅ kuṇḍalaśōbhitānanāḥ mahāśanā vyōmacarā niśācarāḥ | vivṛttavidhvastaviśālalōcanāḥ mahājavā bhūtagaṇāḥ sahasraśaḥ || 7
The Vimana was borne by thousands of sky-faring Rakshasas and other powerful beings, who were depicted on the outside of the chariot. They had faces adorned with shining earrings, possessed muscular bodies, and featured wide, fierce eyes, all while demonstrating their ability to travel at great speed. (7)
vasantapuṣpōtkaracārudarśanaṅ vasantamāsādapi kāntadarśanam | sa puṣpakaṅ tatra vimānamuttamaṅ dadarśa tadvānaravīrasattamaḥ || 8
The most excellent Vānara hero, Hanuman, looked at the supreme aerial chariot, the Pushpaka Vimana. Its appearance was a feast for the eyes, so beautifully adorned that it looked like a delightful array of spring flowers, making it even more captivating and beautiful than the spring season itself. (8)
ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde aṣṭamassargaḥ
↑ Back to Top