Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 4

द्वादशः सर्गः — हनूमतः अन्तःपुरविचयः

Hanuman’s Search Through Ravana’s Inner Apartments

Devanagari script

विरूपरूपा विकृता विवर्चसोमहानना दीर्घविरूपदर्शनाः।समीक्ष्य सा राक्षसराजयोषितोभयाद्विनष्टा जनकेश्वरात्मजा।।।।

Transliteration

virūparūpā vikṛtā vivarcaso mahānanā dīrghavirūpadarśanāḥ |

samīkṣya sā rākṣasarājayoṣito bhayād vinaṣṭā janakeśvarātmajā ||

Translation

ولمّا رأت نساءَ ملكِ الرّاكشاس—مشوّهاتٍ قبيحاتٍ باهتاتِ اللون، عظيماتِ الوجوه، طوالاً في قبحهنّ—لعلّ ابنةَ جانكا (سيتا) قد انهارت خوفاً.

Word by Word

• virūpa-rūpāḥ: having deformed forms
• virūpa-rūpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as adjectival qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virūpa + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/Case 1), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) to implied 'yoṣitaḥ/striyaḥ'

• vikṛtāḥ: misshapen/ugly
• vikṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa

• vivarcasāḥ: dull-lustred
• vivarcasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivarcas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa

• mahā-ānanāḥ: large-faced
• mahā-ānanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa

• dīrgha-virūpa-darśanāḥ: long/tall and of ugly appearance
• dīrgha-virūpa-darśanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha + virūpa + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa; (darśana = appearance) with qualifiers

• samīkṣya: having seen
• samīkṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण) (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having looked/after seeing'; avyaya-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (indeclinable verbal)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (एकवचन); sarvanāma (pronoun)

• rākṣasa-rāja-yoṣitaḥ: the demon-king's women (wives)
• rākṣasa-rāja-yoṣitaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + rāja + yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (द्वितीया/Case 2), Bahuvacana; object of 'samīkṣya' (understood)

• bhayāt: from fear
• bhayāt: Apādāna (अपादान) (cause/source: 'from fear')
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Pañcamī vibhakti (पञ्चमी/Case 5), Ekavacana; hetu/apādāna sense (cause/source)

• vinaṣṭā: was ruined/was lost
• vinaṣṭā: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate of 'sā')
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-naś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/भूतकर्मणि), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used predicatively

• janaka-īśvara-ātmajā: the daughter of King Janaka
• janaka-īśvara-ātmajā: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka + īśvara + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; apposition to 'sā'

Context

'The daughter of Janaka might have collapsed out of fear, looking at the distorted faces of ugly, tall and monstrous demon maids of Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Janaka
• Ravana

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma here is expressed as empathy and moral sensitivity: Hanuman interprets the scene through concern for Sītā’s suffering rather than mere observation, keeping the search anchored in compassion and righteous purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

While searching Rāvaṇa’s inner quarters, Hanuman sees the terrifying appearance of the rākṣasa women and worries that Sītā may have collapsed from fear.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanuman’s karuṇā (compassion) and vigilance—he continuously evaluates Sītā’s condition and the dangers around her.