Shloka 37

रावणान्तःपुर-पानभूमि-विचयः

Hanumān’s Survey of Rāvaṇa’s Inner Palace and Banquet Hall

Devanagari script

परदारावरोधस्य प्रसुप्तस्य निरीक्षणम्।।5.11.37।।इदं खलु ममात्यर्थं धर्मलोपं करिष्यति।

Transliteration

para-dārāvarodhasya prasuptasya nirīkṣaṇam || 5.11.37 || idaṃ khalu mamātyarthaṃ dharma-lopaṃ kariṣyati |

Translation

„Schlafende Frauen in den inneren Gemächern eines anderen zu betrachten—das würde mir wahrlich einen schweren Verstoß gegen das Dharma bereiten.“

Word by Word

• para-dāra-avarodhasya: of the inner chambers of others' wives
• para-dāra-avarodhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive with nirīkṣaṇam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + dāra (प्रातिपदिक) + avarodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Gen/6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: paradārāṇām avarodhaḥ (inner quarters of others' wives)

• prasuptasya: of (those) asleep
• prasuptasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of para-dāra-avarodhasya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-svap (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Gen/6th), एकवचन; agreeing with avarodhasya

• nirīkṣaṇam: observing; inspection
• nirīkṣaṇam: Karta (कर्ता) of kariṣyati (as subject: "this observing...")
• Type: Noun
• Root: nir-īkṣ (धातु) + lyuṭ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भाववाचक-कर्तरि कृदन्त (action noun, ल्युट्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to nirīkṣaṇam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• khalu: surely
• khalu: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ/खल्वर्थ (indeed, surely)

• mama: for me; of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Gen/6th), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• atyartham: excessively; very much
• atyartham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atyartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया-एकवचन (accusative used adverbially): "excessively"

• dharma-lopam: loss/violation of dharma
• dharma-lopam: Karma (कर्म) (object of kariṣyati)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + lopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: dharmasya lopaḥ

• kariṣyati: will cause; will bring about
• kariṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ, धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

Context

'Observing the wives of others in this manner in their inner chambers very much amounts to transgression of moral code by me'. ( thought he)

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman

FAQs

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

Respect for others’ marital and private boundaries (para-dāra-maryādā): righteousness includes guarding one’s gaze and intentions, not merely avoiding physical wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman pauses mid-search to evaluate whether entering and observing the women’s quarters compromises dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity—he refuses to justify questionable means simply because the end (finding Sita) is noble.