Sarga 4

Hanuman, the strongshouldered, 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.

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).

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

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

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).

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.

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.

Glorious Hanuman, wellwisher of Sugriva, king of vanaras, looked around the city, decorated with colourful garlands. Surveying it for the cause of Raghava, he was greatly delighted.

Going from one building to another, Hanuman saw mansions of different kinds structures.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 cowhides. 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 goodlooking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds.

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 cowhides. 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 goodlooking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds.

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 cowhides. 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 goodlooking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds.

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 cowhides. 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 goodlooking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds.

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 cowhides. 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 goodlooking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds.

The great monkey saw the demons who held shaktis and trees as weapons (Shakti is a lance), some held threepointed 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 thunderboltlike weapons.

The great monkey saw the demons who held shaktis and trees as weapons (Shakti is a lance), some held threepointed 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 thunderboltlike weapons.

The great monkey saw the demons who held shaktis and trees as weapons (Shakti is a lance), some held threepointed 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 thunderboltlike weapons.

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

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 earornaments. The whole city was encircled by a boundary wall.

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 earornaments. The whole city was encircled by a boundary wall.

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 fourtusked elephants resembling heaps of white clouds. The beautiful entrance was guarded by thousands of valiant demons.

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 fourtusked elephants resembling heaps of white clouds. The beautiful entrance was guarded by thousands of valiant demons.

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 fourtusked elephants resembling heaps of white clouds. The beautiful entrance was guarded by thousands of valiant demons.

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. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे चतुर्थस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fourth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.