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[Hanuman witnesses Ravana's strength at Lanka.]

sa nirjitya purīṅ śrēṣṭhāṅ laṅkāṅ tāṅ kāmarūpiṇīm.

vikramēṇa mahātējā hanumān kapisattamaḥ৷৷5.4.1৷৷

advārēṇa ca mahābāhuḥ prākāramabhipupluvē.


kapisattamaḥ monkey chief, mahātējāḥ mighty, mahābāhuḥ of strong shoulders, saḥ hanumān that Hanuman, kāmarūpiṇīm who can assume any form at free will, śrēṣṭhām excellent, tāṅ laṅkām that deity of Lanka, vikramēṇa by his prowess, nirjitya having won, advārēṇa by the rear entrance, prākāram boundary, abhipupluvē leapt over.

Hanuman, the strong-shouldered, mighty monkey chief having defeated the (presiding) deity of Lanka who could assume any form at her will, leaped over the boundary wall of the rear entrance of the excellent city by his prowess.
praviśya nagarīṅ laṅkāṅ kapirājahitaṅkaraḥ৷৷5.4.2৷৷

cakrē.tha pādaṅ savyaṅ ca śatrūṇāṅ sa tu mūrdhani.


kapirājahitaṅkaraḥ one who wishes the welfare of the king of monkeys, saḥ he, laṅkāṅ nagarīm Lanka city, praviśya entered, atha then, śatrūṇām of enemy, mūrdhani forehead, savyaṅ pādam left foot, cakrē placed.

Hanuman, a devotee of the king of monkeys entered the city of Lanka placing his left foot first on the forehead of the city and proceeded (by tradition one enters the enemy's dwelling by placing the left foot first to cause defeat of the enemy).
praviṣṭaḥ sattvasampannō niśāyāṅ mārutātmajaḥ৷৷5.4.3৷৷

sa mahāpathamāsthāya muktāpuṣpavirājitam.

tatastu tāṅ purīṅ laṅkāṅ ramyāmabhiyayau kapiḥ৷৷5.4.4৷৷


sattvasampannaḥ endowed with great strength, saḥ mārutātmajaḥ that son of the Wind-god, niśāyām at night, muktāpuṣpavirājitam set with flowers of pearls, mahāpatham highway, āsthāya having made way, praviṣṭaḥ entered, tataḥ then, kapiḥ monkey, tām that, ramyām enchanting, laṅkāṅ purīm Lanka city, abhiyayau went.

The son of the Wind-god, endowed with great strength, entered the enchanting Lanka and walked along the highway set with flowers of pearls.
hasitōtkṛṣṭaninadaistūryaghōṣapurassaraiḥ.

vajrāṅkuśanikāśaiśca vajrajālavibhūṣitaiḥ৷৷5.4.5৷৷

gṛhamēghaiḥ purī ramyā babhāsē dyaurivāmbudaiḥ.


hasitōtkṛṣṭaninadaiḥ filled with sounds of laughter, tūryaghōṣapuraḥ saraiḥ reverberating with sounds of musical instruments, vajrāṅkuśanikāśaiśca by those comparable to the goads of diamonds, vajrajālavibhūṣitaiḥ adorned with diamond lattices, gṛhamēghaiḥ the houses like clouds, ramyā beautiful, purī city, ambudaiḥ with clouds, dyauriva like the sky, babhāsē was shining.

The houses reverberating with sounds of laughter and of musical instruments, decorated with lattice windows of diamonds resembled the sky shining with clouds with a goad made of diamond (thunderbolt of Indra).
prajajvāla tatō laṅkā rakṣōgaṇagṛhaiḥ śubhaiḥ৷৷5.4.6৷৷

sitābhrasadṛśaiścitraiḥ padmasvastikasaṅsthitaiḥ.

vardhamānagṛhaiścāpi sarvataḥ suvibhūṣitā৷৷5.4.7৷৷


tataḥ then, sitābhrasadṛśaiḥ resembling white clouds, citraiḥ with paintings, padmasvastikasaṅsthitaiḥ with lotus, swastika marks engraved, śubhaiḥ by auspicious ones, rakṣōgaṇagṛhaiḥ by the houses of demons, vardhamānagṛhaiścāpi by auspicious houses, sarvataḥ all over, suvibhūṣitā very well decorated, prajajvāla glittering.

The city of Lanka appeared radiant with its tall mansions resembling white clouds. The mansions had auspicious marks of lotus and swastika engraved on them and were opening in the direction of the south.
tāṅ citramālyābharaṇāṅ kapirājahitaṅkaraḥ.

rāghavārthaṅ caran śrīmān dadarśa ca nananda ca৷৷5.4.8৷৷


kapirājahitaṅkaraḥ the wellwisher of the vanara king (Sugriva), śrīmān prosperous, rāghavārtham for Raghava, caran looked around, citramālyābharaṇām with colourful garland, tām that city, dadarśa saw, ca and, nananda ca felt glad.

Glorious Hanuman, well-wisher of Sugriva, king of vanaras, looked around the city, decorated with colourful garlands. Surveying it for the cause of Raghava, he was greatly delighted.
bhavanādbhavanaṅ gacchan dadarśa pavanātmajaḥ.

vividhākṛtirūpāṇi bhavanāni tatastataḥ৷৷5.4.9৷৷


bhavanāt from one building, bhavanam to another building, gacchan going, pavanātmajaḥ Hanuman, tatastataḥ here and there, vividhākṛtirūpāṇi different kinds of structures, bhavanāni buildings, dadarśa saw.

Going from one building to another, Hanuman saw mansions of different kinds structures.
śuśrāva madhuraṅ gītaṅ tristhānasvarabhūṣitam.

strīṇāṅ madasamṛddhānāṅ divi cāpsarasāmiva৷৷5.4.10৷৷


divi in heaven, apsarasāmiva just like apsaras, madasamṛddhānām of intoxicated ones, strīṇām of women, tristhāna from the three levels namely chest, neck, head and three pitches known as Mandra, Madhya and Tara, svarabhūṣitam decorated with swara (musical voice),
madhuram melodious, gītam song, śuśrāva heard.

He heard melodious songs of intoxicated women set to tune in three places namely chest, throat and head and three pitches known as mandra (slow) madhya (medium) and tara (high). The songs resembled those of the apsarasas well set in musical notes set to music.
śuśrāva kāñcīninadaṅ nūpurāṇāṅ ca, niḥsvanam.

sōpānaninadāṅścaiva bhavanēṣu mahātmanām৷৷5.4.11৷৷

asphōṭitaninādāṅśca kṣvēlitāṅśca tatastataḥ.


mahātmānām of great persons, bhavanēṣu in the mansions, kāñcīninadam sounds of bells worn on the waist, nūpurāṇām anklets, nissvanam sounds, sōpānaninadāṅścaiva sounds of climbing steps, asphōṭitaninādāṅśca sounds of clapping of hands, kṣvēlitāṅśca sounds of people joking, tatastataḥ everywhere, śuśrāva heard.

Great Hanuman heard the jingling sounds of waist bells and anklets of women and sounds of great men climbing up and down flights of steps, sounds of clapping and joking everywhere in the mansions.
śuśrāva japatāṅ tatra mantrān rakṣōgṛhēṣu vai৷৷5.4.12৷৷

svādhyāyaniratāṅścaiva yātudhānān dadarśa saḥ.

rāvaṇastavasaṅyuktān garjatō rākṣasānapi৷৷5.4.13৷৷


tatra there, rakṣōgṛhēṣu in the demons' houses, japatām of those chanting, mantrān sacred (verses) words, śuśrāva heard, saḥ he, svādhyāyaniratān of those engaged in the study of Vedas continuously, yātudhānān of demons, dadarśa saw, rāvaṇastavasaṅyuktān those engaged in the eulogy of Ravana, garjataḥ of those shouting, rākṣasānapi even the demons, dadarśa saw.

He heard chantings of sacred verses in the houses of demons engaged in the study of the vedas. And heard demons singing loudly the eulogy of Ravana.
rājamārgaṅ samāvṛtya sthitaṅ rakṣōbalaṅ mahat.

dadarśa madhyamē gulmē rāvaṇasya carān bahūn৷৷5.4.14৷৷


madhyamē in the midst, gulmē in the city, rājamārgam highway, samāvṛtya surrounding, sthitam stationed, mahat great, rakṣōbalam army of demons, rāvaṇasya of Ravana, bahūn many, carān spies, dadarśa observed.

He observed large contingents of demons lining the highway and spies of Ravana stationed in the middle of the city.
dīkṣitān jaṭilān muṇḍān gōjināmbaravāsasaḥ.

darbhamuṣṭipraharaṇānagnikuṇḍāyughāṅstathā৷৷5.4.15৷৷

kūṭamudgarapāṇīṅśca daṇḍāyudhadharānapi.

ēkākṣānēkakarṇāṅśca lambōdarapayōdharān৷৷5.4.16৷৷

karālān bhugnavaktrāṅśca vikaṭān vāmanāṅstathā.

dhanvinaḥ khaṅginaścaiva śataghnīmusalāyudhān৷৷5.4.17৷৷

parighōttamahastāṅśca vicitrakavacōjjvalān.

nātisthūlānnātikṛśānnātidīrghātihrasvakān৷৷5.4.18৷৷

nātigaurānnātikṛṣṇānnātikubjānna vāmanān.

virūpān bahurūpāṅśca surūpāṅśca suvarcasaḥ.5.4.19৷৷

dhvajīn patākinaścaiva dadarśa vividhāyudhān.


dīkṣitān priests, jaṭilān ascetics (with matted hair), muṇḍān with shaven heads,
gōjināmbaravāsasa: robed in cow-hides, darbhamuṣṭipraharaṇān who held darbha grass, tathā so also, agnikuṇḍāyudhān equipped with tools for fire sacrifice, kūṭamudgarapāṇīn ca holding iron mallets and hammers in hand, daṇḍāyudhadharānapi holding staff and spikes, ēkākṣān single-eyed, ēkakarṇāṅśca those with a single ear, lambōdarapayōdharān with huge drooping stomachs and breasts, karālān frightful, bhugnavaktrāṅśca with stooping faces, vikaṭān of distorted forms, tathā similarly, vāmanān dwarfs, dhanvinaḥ men armed with bows, khaḍiganaścaiva with swords, śataghnīmusalāyudhān with shataghni or pestle (club tripped with iron) like thunderbolt, parighōttamahastāṅśca iron-bolt like hands, vicitrakavacōjjvalān radiant with wonderful shields, nātisthūlān not very stout, nātikṛśān not very thin, nātidīrghātihrasvakān not very tall or short, nātigaurān not very fair, nātikṛṣṇān nor very dark, nātikubjān not so hunch-backed, na vāmanān neither very short, virūpān nor too hideous, bahurūpāṅśca in many forms, surūpāṅśca good-looking ones, suvarcasaḥ of good-looking countenance, dhvajīn holding banners, patākinaścaiva and flags, vividhāyudhān holding several kinds of weapons, dadarśa saw.

Going around Lanka, Hanuman witnessed all kinds of demons; priests who were performing rituals, ascetics with matted hair, some with shaven heads, and some robed in cow-hides. Some were holding fistfuls of darbha grass (as weapons), others held sacrificial tools (as weapons), some had mallets, some hammers and others had staff and spikes. Some looked frightful with a single eye, some with a single ear, some with drooping stomachs and sagging breasts and in distorted forms. Similarly some dwarfs and some wielding iron weapons, their bodies covered with wonderful shields; some not very tall or short, not stout or thin, not very dark and not with hideous forms or mutilated bodies. Some had good-looking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds.
śaktivṛkṣāyudhāṅścaiva paṭṭisāśanidhāriṇaḥ৷৷5.4.20৷৷

kṣēpaṇīpāśahastāṅśca dadarśa sa mahākapiḥ.

sragviṇastvanuliptāṅśca varābharaṇabhūṣitān৷৷5.4.21৷৷

nānāvēṣasamāyuktān yathāssvairagatān bahūn.

tīkṣṇaśūladharāṅścaiva vajriṇaśca mahābalān৷৷5.4.22৷৷


mahākapiḥ great monkey, śaktivṛkṣāyuthāścaiva who held shaktis and trees as weapons, paṭṭisāśanidhāriṇaḥ who held three pointed spears and missiles, kṣēpaṇīpāśahastāṅśca holding
slings from which missiles are thrown, sragviṇaḥ some wearing garlands of flowers, anuliptāṅśca smeared with unguents, varābharaṇabhūṣitān adorned with choicest ornaments, nānāvēṣasamāyuktān dressed in different ways, yathāsvairagatān those moving about freely, bahūn many, tīkṣṇaśūladharāṅścaiva holding sharp tridents, vajriṇaśca armed with thunderbolts like weapons, mahābalān very strong ones, dadarśa saw.

The great monkey saw the demons who held shaktis and trees as weapons (Shakti is a lance), some held three-pointed spears, missiles and slings with which missiles are hurled. Some of them wore flower garlands, smeared unguents on their body and were bedecked with choicest ornaments. They were dressed in several ways and many of them moved freely. They were very strong and held sharp tridents and armed with thunderbolt-like weapons.
śatasāhasramavyagramārakṣaṅ madhyamaṅ kapiḥ.

rakṣōdhipatinirdiṣṭaṅ dadarśāntaḥpurāgrataḥ৷৷5.4.23৷৷


kapiḥ vanara, antaḥpurāgrataḥ in front of the harem, rakṣōdhipatinirdiṣṭaṅ ordered (stationed) by the lord of demons, śatasāhasram one hundred thousand, avyagram vigilant, madhyamam midst, ārakṣam army, dadarśa saw.

Hanuman saw in front of the harem one hundred thousand strong, vigilant soldiers of a middle rank ordered by the lord of demons.
sa tadā tadgṛhaṅ dṛṣṭvā mahāhāṭakatōraṇam.

rākṣasēndrasya vikhyātamadrimūrdhni pratiṣṭhitam৷৷5.4.24৷৷

puṇḍarīkāvataṅsābhiḥ parikhābhiralaṅkṛtam.

prākārāvṛtamatyantaṅ dadarśa sa mahākapiḥ৷৷5.4.25৷৷


saḥ that, mahākapiḥ great monkey, mahāhāṭakatōraṇam huge archway made of gold, adrimūrdhni as if touching the sky on the peak of the mountain, pratiṣṭhitam situated, vikhyātam renowned, puṇḍarīkāvataṅsābhiḥ moats with white lotus flowers appearing like ear-ornaments, parikhābhiḥ with moats, alaṅkṛtam decorated, prākārāvṛtam surrounded by a compound wall, rākṣasēndrasya
demon king's, tat that, gṛham home, tadā then, dṛṣṭavā observed, atyantam all over, dadarśa saw

The great monkey observed the huge archway of the demon king's palace made of gold situated on top of the mountain as if scraping the sky, circled by moats full of white lotuses appearing as though the moats were decorated with ear-ornaments. The whole city was encircled by a boundary wall.
triviṣṭapanibhaṅ divyaṅ divyanādanināditam.

vājihēṣitasaṅghuṣṭaṅ nāditaṅ bhūṣaṇaistathā৷৷5.4.26৷৷

rathairyānairvimānaiśca tathā hayagajaiḥ śubhaiḥ.

vāraṇaiśca caturthantaiḥ śvētābhranicayōpamaiḥ৷৷5.4.27৷৷

bhūṣitaṅ ruciradvāraṅ mattaiśca mṛgapakṣibhiḥ.

rakṣitaṅ sumahāvīryairyātudhānaiḥ sahasraśaḥ.

rākṣasādhipatērguptamāvivēśa mahākapiḥ৷৷5.4.28৷৷


mahākapiḥ great vanara, triviṣṭapanibham resembling heaven, divyam wonderful, vājihēṣitasaṅghuṣṭam filled with neighing horses, tathā similarly, bhūṣaṇaiḥ with ornaments, nāditam vibrant, rathaiḥ with chariots, yānaiḥ with carriages, vimānaiśca with flying chariots, śubhaiḥ with auspicious, hayagajaiḥ horses and elephants, śvētābhranicayōpamaiḥ appearing like a heap of white clouds, caturtharntai: four tusked, vāraṇaiśca with elephants also, bhūṣitam ornamented, mattai: intoxicated, mṛgapakṣibhiḥ beasts and birds, ruciradvāram a beautiful entrance, sumahāvīryaiḥ with demon's of great valour, sahasraśaḥ in their thousands, yātudhānaiḥ by demons, rakṣitam guarded, rākṣasādhipatēḥ of the lord of demons, guptam secret, āvivēśa entered.

And then the great vanara entered the wonderful mansion that resembled heaven. It was resonating with pleasing sounds of jingling ornaments made more noisy by the neighing of the horses. There were carriages, chariots, flying chariots, horses and elephants. The beautiful entrance was looking splendid with intoxicated animals and birds. That place looked splendid with four-tusked elephants resembling heaps of white clouds. The beautiful entrance was guarded by thousands of valiant demons.
sahēmajāmbūnadacakravālaṅ mahārhamuktāmaṇibhūṣitāntam.

parārthyakālāgurucandanāktaṅ sa rāvaṇāntaḥpuramāvivēśa৷৷5.4.29৷৷


saḥ he, sahēma with gold, jāmbūnadacakravālam walls polished with gold, mahārhamuktāmaṇibhūṣitāntam decorated with precious pearl strings throughout, parārthyakālāgurucandanāktam sprinkled with best of fragrants of sandal, rāvaṇāntaḥpuram harem of Ravana, āvivēśa entered.

Hanuman entered the harem of Ravana surrounded by walls of gold inlaid with precious pearls and other gems and sprinkled with excellent black agaru and sandal water.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē sundarakāṇḍē caturthassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fourth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.