Description of Laṅkā; Hanumān strikes Laṅkinī and enters Laṅkā

Chhands

kanaka kōṭa bicitra mani kṛta suṃdarāyatanā ghanā.

cauhaṭṭa haṭṭa subaṭṭa bīthīṃ cāru pura bahu bidhi banā

gaja bāji khaccara nikara padacara ratha barūthinha kō ganai

bahurūpa nisicara jūtha atibala sēna baranata nahiṃ banai [5-2-1]

bana bāga upabana bāṭikā sara kūpa bāpīṃ sōhahīṃ.

nara nāga sura gaṃdharba kanyā rūpa muni mana mōhahīṃ

kahuom māla dēha bisāla saila samāna atibala garjahīṃ.

nānā akhārēnha bhirahiṃ bahu bidhi ēka ēkanha tarjahīṃ [5-2-2]

kari jatana bhaṭa kōṭinha bikaṭa tana nagara cahuom disi racchahīṃ.

kahuom mahiṣa mānaṣu dhēnu khara aja khala nisācara bhacchahīṃ

ēhi lāgi tulasīdāsa inha kī kathā kachu ēka hai kahī.

raghubīra sara tīratha sarīranhi tyāgi gati paihahiṃ sahī [5-2-3]

The charming city was enclosed by a fortification wall of gold inlaid with precious stones of various kinds, and contained many beautiful houses, cross roads, bazars, lovely streets and lanes, and was decorated in everyway. Who could count the multitudes of elephants, horses and mules, the crowds of foot soldiers and chariots and the troops of demons of every shape-a formidable host beyond all description ? Groves and orchards, gardens and parks, lakes and also wells, big and small, looked charming; daughters of human beings, Nāgas, gods and Gandharvas (celestial musicians) enraptured with their beauty the minds of even hermits. Here roared mighty wrestlers endowed with huge mountainlike forms. They grappled with one another in many ways in different courts and challenged one another to a duel. Myriads of champions possessing frightful forms sedulously guarded the city on all sides. Elsewhere the vile demons feasted on buffaloes, human beings, cows, donkeys and goats. Tulasīdāsa has briefly told their story only because they will drop their bodies at the sanctuary of Śrī Rāma’s arrows and thereby attain the supreme state.

Dohas

pura rakhavārē dēkhi bahu kapi mana kīnha bicāra.

ati laghu rūpa dharauṃ nisi nagara karauṃ paisāra [5-3]

Seeing a host of guards defending the city, the chief of the monkeys thought to himself, “Let me assume a very minute form and enter the city at night.”

Chaupais

masaka samāna rūpa kapi dharī. laṃkahi calēu sumiri naraharī

nāma laṃkinī ēka nisicarī. sō kaha calēsi mōhi niṃdarī [5-3-1]

jānēhi nahīṃ maramu saṭha mōrā. mōra ahāra jahāom lagi cōrā

muṭhikā ēka mahā kapi hanī. rudhira bamata dharanīṃ ḍhanamanī [5-3-2]

puni saṃbhāri uṭhi sō laṃkā. jōri pāni kara binaya saṃsakā

jaba rāvanahi brahma bara dīnhā. calata biraṃci kahā mōhi cīnhā [5-3-3]

bikala hōsi taiṃ kapi kēṃ mārē. taba jānēsu nisicara saṃghārē

tāta mōra ati punya bahūtā. dēkhēuom nayana rāma kara dūtā [5-3-4]

Hanumān assumed a form as small as a gnat and, invoking the Lord in human semblance (Bhagavān Śrī Rāma), headed towards Laṅkā. (At the gateway of Laṅkā) lived a demoness, Laṅkinī by name. “Where should you be going heedless of me?” she said. “Fool, have you not been able to know who I am? Every thief hereabout is my food.” The great monkey dealt her such a blow with his fist that she toppled down vomiting blood. Then, recovering herself, Laṅkā (Laṅkinī), stood up, and joining her palms in dismay, humbly addressed him, “When Brahmā granted Rāvaṇa the boon he had asked for, the Creator furnished me with the following clue (to the extermination of the demon race) while departing:-‘When you get discomfited by a blow from a monkey, know that all is over with the demon race.’ I must have earned very great merit, dear Hanumān, that I have been blessed with the sight of Śrī Rāma’s own messenger

Dohas

tāta svarga apabarga sukha dharia tulā ēka aṃga.

tūla na tāhi sakala mili jō sukha lava satasaṃga [5-4]

“In one scale of the balance, dear son, put together the delights of heaven and the bliss of final beatitude; but they will all be outweighed by a moment’s joy derived from communion with the saints.”

Chaupais

prabisi nagara kījē saba kājā. hṛdayaom rākhi kausalapura rājā

garala sudhā ripu karahiṃ mitāī. gōpada siṃdhu anala sitalāī [5-4-1]

garuḍa sumēru rēnū sama tāhī. rāma kṛpā kari citavā jāhī

ati laghu rūpa dharēu hanumānā. paiṭhā nagara sumiri bhagavānā [5-4-2]

maṃdira maṃdira prati kari sōdhā. dēkhē jahaom tahaom aganita jōdhā

gayau dasānana maṃdira māhīṃ. ati bicitra kahi jāta sō nāhīṃ [5-4-3]

sayana kiē dēkhā kapi tēhī. maṃdira mahuom na dīkhi baidēhī

bhavana ēka puni dīkha suhāvā. hari maṃdira tahaom bhinna banāvā [5-4-4]

“Enter the city with the Lord of Ayodhyā enshrined in your heart and accomplish all your business. Poison is transformed into nectar, foes turn friends, the ocean contracts itself to the size of a cow’s footprint, fire becomes cool and Mount Meru, O Garuḍa, appears like a grain of sand to him on whom Śrī Rāma has cast His benign look.” Hanumān assumed a very minute form and invoking Śrī Rāma entered the city. He ransacked every mansion and saw countless warriors here and there. Then he made his way into Rāvaṇa’s palace, which was marvellous beyond words. He saw the demon chief buried in sleep; but he did not find Videha’s Daughter there. He then noticed another splendid building, with a temple sacred to Śrī Hari standing apart.