Hari Om.
Let us begin the sixth sarga of the sundara kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Continuing his quest, hanumAn diligently looked through mansion after mansion in the royal enclosure under the spell of the moonlight. He saw hundreds and thousands of soldiers wielding deadly weapons and standing guard. Hoodwinking them all, in an inconspicuous form, he saw the good life of lanka in terms of the cultural leanings, high learnings and happy families. While the opulence and everything else was visible, he was disappointed that he could not find sItA anywhere, yet. Onwards…
Rapidly overcoming the disappointment of not finding sItA, hanumAn assuming an inconspicuous form, continued his quest of sItA in lanka and soon reached the mansion of the king of the demons which had a brilliant orange coloured compound wall around it and was being protected by scary demons just like the forest was secured by the lions. The best of the vAnaras was startled looking at the mansion and entered it. There were arches decked with silver and gold. The rooms there in had well decorated thresholds.
बहुरत्नसमाकीर्णं परार्थ्यसनभाजनम्।
महारथसमावासं महारथमहास्वनम्।।5.6.7।।
There were warriors who were in ready-to-attack position mounted on elephants and large chariots yoked to horses and decked with tiger and lion skins and a variety of gems. The warriors were not wearied and were letting out roars. Then there were a variety of birds and beats in the palace amusing everyone.
The inner chambers housed the best of the charming women folk, fully decked up with golden ornaments and their movement caused a jingling sound resembling the roar of the sea. They were protected by well behaved demons. The fragrance of agaru and sandalwood permeated there. The palace premises hosted eminent people of lanka like lions crowded a dense forest.
Then he beheld an altar where demons were assembled, blowing trumpets and blating conches. Regular offerings were made at the altar with yajnas being conducted on special days such as new moon and full moon days. He then beheld the mansion of the great rAvaNa, studded with precious gems and jewels, with elephants, horses and chariots and imposing like an ocean. The great vAnara thought this mansion was itself an ornate jewel of lanka and moved closer to where rAvaNa was.
He moved from mansion to mansion including the gardens with no fear whatsoever and examining each of them. The swift vAnara jumped on to the home of demon prahasta. And then jumped on to that of mahApArSwa. He then looked through the towering cloud like den of kumbhakarNa. He then jumped on to the house of vibhIshaNa and looked around.
He then went through the mansions of mahOdara, virUpAksha, vidyujjihva, vidyunmAli, vajradanshTra, Suka, SAraNa, Indrajit, jambumAli, sumAli, rashmikEtu, sUryaSatru, vajrakAya, dhUmrAksha, sampAti, vidyudrUpa, bhIma, ghana, vighana, SukanAbha, chakra, SaTha, kapaTa, hrasvakarNa, danshTra, lOmaSa, yudhhOnmatta, matta, dhvajagrIva, vidyujjihva, dvijihva, hastimukha, karAla, piSacha and SONitAksha respectively. In every one of those majestic mansions of the illustrious demons, he saw their opulence and prosperity.
Then, having crossed all those mansions, the auspicious one reached the mansion of the king of the demons. Moving around there, close to where rAvaNa was resting he saw a number of demonesses of extremely crooked forms who were wielding spears, hammers, javelines and cudgels. He saw a number of troops with intimidating forms there who were ready to strike. He saw very swift horses in red and white hue, elephants of high breed that could vanquish the enemies with ease, equal to airAvata in prowess, moving about like clouds, oozing ichor like the mountains in that mansion. In the palace of rAvaNa he beheld thousands of troops with gold trappings resembling the rising sun. He further saw a number of palanquins of various sizes and types.
शिबिका विविधाकाराः स कपिर्मारुतात्मजः।
लतागृहाणि चित्राणि चित्रशालागृहाणि च।।5.6.36।।
क्रीडागृहाणि चान्यानि दारुपर्वतकानपि।
कामस्य गृहकं रम्यं दिवागृहकमेव च।।5.6.37।।
ददर्श राक्षसेन्द्रस्य रावणस्य निवेशने।
He saw gardens, galleries with great arts, recreational rooms, mountains made of woods, delightful bedrooms and living rooms.
स मन्दरगिरिप्रख्यं मयूरस्थानसङ्कुलम्।।5.6.38।।
ध्वजयष्टिभिराकीर्णं ददर्श भवनोत्तमम्।
अनेकरत्नसङ्कीर्णं निधिजालं समन्ततः।।5.6.39।।
धीरनिष्ठितकर्मान्तं गृहं भूतपतेरिव।
That palace towering like the mandara mountain and crowded with peacocks was well decorated with flags, studded with gems and treasures and with excellent craftsmanship all over resembled the mansion of the lord of all beings – Siva. With the illumination of the gems and jewels and by virtue of the splendour of rAvaNa, the mansion was dazzling like the sun. The couches and chairs were made of gold. Liquor and honey flowed in gem studded golden vessels and it resembled the opulent and delightful mansion of kubEra. hanumAn then entered the well laid out inner suites of the great palace that was home to hundreds of women and was reverberating with the jingling of their jewels and anklets and the beats of mRdanga.
Here we conclude the sixth sarga of the sundara kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 5.07. The astonishing flying object!
Previous: 5.05. Looking through the moonlit lanka
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
