इतो द्वीपे समुद्रस्य सम्पूर्णे शतयोजने। तस्मिल्लङ्का पुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा॥ जाम्बूनदमयैद्वारैश्चित्रैः काञ्चनवेदिकैः। प्रासादैर्हेमवर्णैश्च महद्भिः सुसमाकृता॥ प्राकारेणार्कवर्णेन महता च समन्विता। तस्यां वसति वैदेही दीना कौशेयवासिनी॥ रावणान्तःपुरे रुद्धा राक्षसीभिः सुरक्षिता। जनकस्यात्मजां राज्ञस्तस्यां द्रक्ष्यथ मैथिलीम्॥
ito dvīpe samudrasya sampūrṇe śatayojane| tasmillaṅkā purī ramyā nirmitā viśvakarmaṇā|| jāmbūnadamayaidvāraiścitraiḥ kāñcanavedikaiḥ| prāsādairhemavarṇaiśca mahadbhiḥ susamākṛtā|| prākāreṇārkavarṇena mahatā ca samanvitā| tasyāṃ vasati vaidehī dīnā kauśeyavāsinī|| rāvaṇāntaḥpure ruddhā rākṣasībhiḥ surakṣitā| janakasyātmajāṃ rājñastasyāṃ drakṣyatha maithilīm||
English Meaning
The lovely city of Lankā, reared by Viśvakarmā, lieth a full hundred Yojanas hence on an island in the sea; furnished with golden gateways, filled with variegated daises, lordly gold-gleaming places; and girt round with great walls hued like sunshine. There stayeth Vaidehi, forlorn and clad in a silken cloth,—-confined in the inner apartment of Rāvana, and carefully guarded by Rākṣasīs. In Lankā protected all round by the sea, you shall behold Janaka's daughter, Maithili.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)