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Shloka 12

रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च

Hanuman’s Circuit of Ravana’s Palace and the Crisis of Deliberation

अथवा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य पत्नीभिरसितेक्षणा।।।।अदुष्टा दुष्टभावाभिर्भक्षिता सा भविष्यति।

athavā rākṣasendrasya patnībhir asitekṣaṇā |

aduṣṭā duṣṭabhāvābhir bhakṣitā sā bhaviṣyati |

Oder jene dunkeläugige Sītā—unschuldig und rein—mag von den Gemahlinnen des Herrn der Rākṣasas, von verderbter Gesinnung, verschlungen worden sein.

अथवाor else
अथवा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or else)
राक्षसेन्द्रस्यof the lord of rakshasas
राक्षसेन्द्रस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootराक्षस-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive singular
पत्नीभिःby (his) wives
पत्नीभिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural
असितेक्षणाblack-eyed (lady)
असितेक्षणा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअसित-ईक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय (असितम् ईक्षणम् यस्याः/असितम् ईक्षणं); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular
अदुष्टाblameless/pure
अदुष्टा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ-दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular
दुष्टभावाभिःby the wicked-natured (ones)
दुष्टभावाभिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुष्ट-भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (दुष्टः भावः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural (by those of wicked nature)
भक्षिताdevoured/eaten
भक्षिता:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष् (धातु)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past passive participle
साshe
सा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun nominative singular
भविष्यतिwill be/will become
भविष्यति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; simple future, parasmaipada

"Or else, the pious, black-eyed Sita might have been eaten by the the cruel-natured wives of the lord of demons.

S
Sita
R
Ravana

FAQs

Dharma contrasts purity with cruelty: the verse frames Sītā as aduṣṭā (blameless), highlighting how adharma targets the innocent and why righteous rescue becomes a moral imperative.

Still unable to find Sītā, Hanuman considers another grim possibility—that she may have been harmed by the cruel rākṣasī women of Rāvaṇa’s household.

Sītā’s purity (aduṣṭatā) and Hanuman’s unwavering concern for the protection of the innocent.