Sundarakanda Sarga 49: Hanumān Beholds the Splendor of Rāvaṇa (Full Text & Meaning)
Sundarakanda Sarga 49: Hanumān Beholds the Splendor of Rāvaṇa (Full Text & Meaning)
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Read Sundarakanda Sarga 49 with full Sanskrit Shlokas and verbatim English meanings. Captured and brought before the royal court, Hanumān finally sees Rāvaṇa in all his terrifying majesty. This sarga provides a detailed description of Rāvaṇa’s ten heads, his jewel-encrusted throne, and his immense physical and spiritual splendor. Even as a captive, Hanumān cannot help but be impressed by the Rākṣasa King's radiance, reflecting that such a being could have been a protector of the universe had he not chosen the path of Adharma. Download PDF for convenience or read along online at Kalady.org
| Detail | Total Shlokas: 20 | Primary Characters: Hanumān & Rāvaṇa | Key Events: Rāvaṇa-Sabhā-Darśanam (Viewing Ravana's court), Rāvaṇa-Rūpa-Varṇanam (Description of Ravana's form), Hanūmad-Vismayaḥ (Hanuman's wonder) | Location: Ravana's Royal Court, Lanka |
athaḥ śrīmadvalmīki rāmāyaṇe suṃdarakāṃḍe ēkōnapaṁcāśassargaḥ
Beginning of Sundarakanda from Srimad Valmiki Ramanaya - 49th Sarga
rāvaṇaprabhāvadarsanam Rāvaṇa's Display of Majesty
tatassa karmaṇā tasya vismitō bhīmavikramaḥ | hanumān rōṣatāmrākṣō rakṣō.dhipamavaikṣata || 1
Then, that immensely powerful Hanumān, amazed by his (Rāvaṇa's) very nature/majesty, looked upon the Lord of the Rākṣasas with eyes copper-red from anger. (1)
bhrājamānaṅ mahārhēṇa kāñcanēna virājatā | muktā jālāvṛtēnātha makuṭēna mahādyutim || 2
vajrasaṅyōgasaṅyuktairmahārhamaṇivigrahaiḥ | haimairābharaṇaiścitraiḥ manasēva prakalpitaiḥ || 3
mahārhakṣaumasaṅvītaṅ raktacandanarūṣitam | svānuliptaṅ vicitrābhirvividhābhiśca bhaktibhiḥ || 4
(Hanumān saw him...) Shining with a crown of great brilliance, which was resplendent with valuable gold and covered with a net of pearls. He was adorned with wonderful gold ornaments, set with diamonds and containing precious jewels, fashioned as if by the power of thought itself. He was clad in very valuable silk clothes, smeared with red sandalwood paste, and self-anointed with various wonderful and fragrant cosmetic pastes. (2-4)
vicitrairdarśanīyaiśca raktākṣaiḥ bhīmadarśanaiḥ | dīptatīkṣṇamahādaṅṣṭraiḥ pralambadaśanacchadaiḥ || 5
śirōbhirdaśabhirvīraṅ bhrājamānaṅ mahaujasam | nānāvyālasamākīrṇaiśśikharairiva mandaram || 6
The hero (Rāvaṇa) shone with immense glory from his ten heads, which were magnificent and wonderful to behold. They possessed terrifying, blood-red eyes, gleaming, sharp, and massive teeth, and heavy lips. These ten heads blazed forth like the peaks of Mount Mandara, which are crowded with various kinds of snakes. (5-6)
nīlāñjanacayaprakhyaṅ hārēṇōrasi rājatā | pūrṇacandrābhavaktrēṇa sabalākamivāmbudam || 7
bāhubhirbaddhakēyūraiścandanōttamarūṣitaiḥ | bhrājamānāṅgadaiḥ pīnaiḥ pañcaśīrṣairivōragaiḥ || 8
He appeared like a dark cloud mass, resembling a heap of blue collyrium, shining on his chest with a luminous necklace. With his face shining like the full moon, he looked like a rain cloud accompanied by lightning. His thick, muscular arms, smeared with excellent sandalwood paste and adorned with bracelets and glittering armlets, resembled five-headed serpents. (7-8)
mahatisphāṭikē citrē ratnasaṅyōgasaṅskṛtē | uttamāstaraṇāstīrṇē sūpaviṣṭaṅ varāsanē || 9
He was seated on a splendid throne, which was made of great, clear crystal, wonderfully crafted with inlaid gems, and covered with the finest cushions. (9)
alaṅkṛtābhiratyarthaṅ pramadābhiḥ samantataḥ | vālavyajanahastābhirārātsamupasēvitam || 10
He was served closely all around by exceedingly well-adorned beautiful women (pramadābhiḥ), who held hand fans (vālavyajanāni) in their hands. (10)
durdharēṇa prahastēna mahāpārśvēna rakṣasā | mantribhirmantratattvajñaiḥ nikumbhēna ca mantriṇā || 11
sukhōpaviṣṭaṅ rakṣōbhiścaturbhirbaladarpitaiḥ | kṛtsnaṅ parivṛtaṅ lōkaṅ caturbhiriva sāgaraiḥ || 12
He was comfortably seated with four powerful and arrogant Rākṣasas (his ministers): the unassailable Durdhara, Prahasta, the Rākṣasa Mahāpārśva, and the minister Nikumbha, who was a master of the principles of counsel. Surrounded by these four, it was as if he encompassed the entire world, like the earth surrounded by the four oceans. (11-12)
mantribhirmantratattvajñaiḥ anyaiśca śubhabuddhibhiḥ | anvāsyamānaṅ rakṣōbhiḥ surairiva surēśvaram || 13
He was being attended by Rākṣasas—ministers who were masters of the principles of counsel, and others of pure intelligence—just as the Lord of the Gods (Indra) is served by the gods. (13)
apaśyadrākṣasapatiṅ hanumānatitējasam | viṣṭhitaṅ mēruśikharē satōyamiva tōyadam || 14
Hanumān beheld the Lord of the Rākṣasas (Rāvaṇa), who was blazing with immense glory—majestic and poised like a rain cloud heavy with water resting on the peak of Mount Meru. (14)
sa taissampīḍyamānō.pi rakṣōbhirbhīmavikramaiḥ | vismayaṅ paramaṅ gatvā rakṣōdhipamavaikṣata || 15
Although he (Hanumān) was being tormented by those Rākṣasas of fierce valor, he looked upon the Lord of the Rākṣasas (Rāvaṇa) with the utmost astonishment. (15)
bhrājamānaṅ tatō dṛṣṭvā hanumān rākṣasēśvaram | manasā cintayāmāsa tējasā tasya mōhitaḥ || 16
Then, seeing the Rākṣasa lord (Rāvaṇa) blazing forth in his majesty, Hanumān was utterly captivated by his splendor and began to reflect upon it in his mind. (16)
ahō rūpamahō dhairyamahō sattvamahō dyutiḥ | ahō rākṣasarājasya sarvalakṣaṇayuktatā || 17
"Oh, what form! Oh, what courage! Oh, what strength! Oh, what splendor! Oh, the completeness of all auspicious marks in this king of the Rākṣasas!" (17)
yadyadharmō na balavān syādayaṅ rākṣasēśvaraḥ | syādayaṅ suralōkasya saśakrasyāpi rakṣitā || 18
"If adharma were not so powerful in this Lord of the Rākṣasas (Rāvaṇa), he would be the protector of the world of the gods, including even Indra himself." (18)
asya krūrairnṛśaṅsaiśca karmabhirlōkakutsitaiḥ | sarvē bibhyati khalvasmāt lōkāssāmaradānavāḥ || 19
"Because of his cruel, brutal, and universally condemned deeds, all beings, including the gods and the Dānavas (demons), are truly afraid of him." (19)
ayaṅ hyutsahatē kruddhaḥ kartumēkārṇavaṅ jagat | iti cintāṅ bahuvidhām akarōnmatimān hariḥ | dṛṣṭvā rākṣasarājasya prabhāvamamitaujasaḥ || 20
Hanumān beheld the immense splendor and might of the Lord of the Rākṣasas. He was filled with many thoughts, pondering, "This one, when enraged, is capable of turning the whole world into a single, vast ocean." (20)
ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde ēkōnapaṁcāśassargaḥ
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