“Entering the auspicious city, which is under a curse and protected by the king of Rakshasas, O Lord of monkeys, do you freely roam about everywhere and search for the chaste daughter of King Janaka at your pleasure.” (Lanka speaking… Read More ›
hanuman entering lanka
Seeing Vishnu Everywhere
“That great hero among monkeys saw the rising moon, which had a color as white as milk or a lotus fiber, the luster of a conchshell, and resembled a swan swimming in a lake.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.58) śaṅkhaprabhaṃ… Read More ›
Lighting The Dead End Street
“As if lending assistance to him [Hanuman], the moon, with its many thousands of rays, arose in the sky in the midst of a host of stars and covered the earth with a canopy of its light.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara… Read More ›
Enhancing Stature
“He [Hanuman] entered the famous city, which had rows of white interlaced buildings and valuable golden archways, and was ruled by the arms of Ravana and fully guarded by ogres of terrible might.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.56) sa pāṇḍurodviddhavimānamālinīṃ… Read More ›
Good Things For Bad People
“Beholding Lanka, which was unimaginable and had an amazing appearance, that great monkey [maha-kapi] became morose and also delighted, as he was very much anxious to see Vaidehi.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.55) acintyāmadbhutākārāṃ dṛṣṭvā laṅkāṃ mahākapiḥ | āsīdviṣṇḍo hṛṣṭaśca… Read More ›
That Don’t Impress Me
“And wonderful golden archways belonging to the Rakshasas everywhere illuminated the well-decorated city of Lanka.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.54) kāñcanāni ca citrāṇi toraṇāni ca rakśasām | laṅkāmuddyotayāmāsuḥ sarvataḥ samalaṃkṛtām It’s ironic that the entryway into a city filled with… Read More ›
Wealth Management
“He [Hanuman] saw in that great city seven and eight story buildings inlaid with crystal and decorated with gold. Those houses of the Rakshasas shone brightly with their surfaces studded with vaidurya gems and decorated with strings of pearls.” (Valmiki… Read More ›
Shorn of Brilliance
“When the evening came the very powerful Hanuman quickly jumped up and entered the beautiful city, which had great pathways that were well-divided, was filled with rows of mansions, and had golden columns and golden latticed windows that made it… Read More ›
Slight of Hand
“At night, on the sun having set, Maruti [Hanuman] contracted his body. Becoming the size of a cat, he was a wonderful sight to behold.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.49) sūrye cāstaṃ gate rātrau dehaṃ saṃkśipya mārutiḥ | vṛṣadaṃśakamātraḥ san… Read More ›
Adbhuta Darshana
“At night, on the sun having set, Maruti [Hanuman] contracted his body. Becoming the size of a cat, he was a wonderful sight to behold.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.49) sūrye cāstaṃ gate rātrau dehaṃ saṃkśipya mārutiḥ | vṛṣadaṃśakamātraḥ san… Read More ›