Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 55: Rāvaṇa Flatters Sītā
Text 3.55.19
परिक्षिप्ता सहस्रेण लङ्केयं शतयोजना।
नेयं धर्षयितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः॥
parikṣiptā sahasreṇa laṅkeyaṁ śata-yojanā
neyaṁ dharṣayituṁ śakyā sendrair api surāsuraiḥ
parikṣiptā = and is surrounded; sahasreṇa = by numerous rākṣasas; laṅkā = Laṅkā; iyam = this; śata-yojanā = extends to one hundred yojanas; na = not; iyam = it; dharṣayitum = of conquering; śakyā = are capable; sa-indraiḥ = along with their leaders; api = even; sura-asuraiḥ = the devas and asuras.
This Laṅkā extends to one hundred yojanas and is surrounded by numerous rākṣasas. Even the devas and asuras along with their leaders are not capable of conquering it.
[Though sahasreṇa literally means “by a thousand,”] it indicates that Laṅkā was surrounded by numerous rākṣasas because śataṁ sahasram ayutaṁ sarvam ānantya-vācakam, “Hundred, thousand and ten thousand are all words expressing ‘unlimited.’”
Rāvaṇa then thought, “Alright, the city may not be invincible. [But] hear about my prowess.” And so he spoke the next verse.