Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 13

हनूमदुपदेशः रावणस्य च कोपः

Hanuman’s Counsel to Ravana and Ravana’s Wrath

Devanagari script

तां हरीणां सहस्राणि शतानि नियुतानि च।दिक्षु सर्वासु मार्गन्ते ह्यधश्चोपरि चाम्बरे।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ harīṇāṃ sahasrāṇi śatāni niyutāni ca | dikṣu sarvāsu mārgante hy adhaś copari cāmbare ||

Translation

مِنْ أَجْلِهَا يَبْحَثُ الْفَانَرَةُ مِئَاتًا وَآلَافًا وَجُمُوعًا لَا تُحْصَى فِي كُلِّ اتِّجَاهٍ: تَحْتًا وَفَوْقًا وَحَتَّى فِي السَّمَاءِ.

Word by Word

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• harīṇām: of monkeys
• harīṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• sahasrāṇi: thousands
• sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• śatāni: hundreds
• śatāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• niyutāni: niyutas (ten-thousands/hundred-thousands)
• niyutāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (नियुत = 10^5)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• dikṣu: in directions
• dikṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• sarvāsu: in all
• sarvāsu: Adhikaraṇa-viśeṣaṇa (अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (dikṣu)

• mārgante: search
• mārgante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛg/√mārg (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हि-निपात (indeed/for)

• adhaḥ: below
• adhaḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: below)

• ca: and
• ca: Samucchaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• upari: above
• upari: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upari (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: above)

• ca: and
• ca: Samucchaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• ambare: in the sky
• ambare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Context

"Hundreds, thousands and unlimited number of monkeys are searching (for Sita) in all directions, in the underworld and heavens and the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (implicit: tām)
• Vānara-s (monkeys)

FAQs

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

Adharma cannot be hidden indefinitely; wrongdoing invites inevitable pursuit and accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān informs Rāvaṇa of the vast Vānara search effort for Sītā, emphasizing the certainty of discovery and consequences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s resolve and duty (sevā to Rāma’s cause), expressed through confident warning grounded in facts.