Shloka 17

रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च

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

Devanagari script

विनष्टा वा प्रणष्टा वा मृता वा जनकात्मजा।।।।रामस्य प्रियभार्यस्य न निवेदयितुं क्षमम्।

Transliteration

vinaṣṭā vā praṇaṣṭā vā mṛtā vā janakātmajā | rāmasya priya-bhāryasya na nivedayituṃ kṣamam ||

Translation

Ob Janakas Tochter verloren, unauffindbar oder tot sei — Rāmas geliebte Gemahlin — es ziemt sich nicht, Rāma solches zu berichten.

Word by Word

• विनष्टा: lost/destroyed
• विनष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘destroyed/lost’ (PPP used adjectivally)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रणष्टा: gone/vanished
• प्रणष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘perished/vanished’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• मृता: dead
• मृता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘dead’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• जनकात्मजा: Janaka's daughter
• जनकात्मजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक-आत्मजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जनकस्य आत्मजा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• प्रियभार्यस्य: of (him) whose wife is dear
• प्रियभार्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय-भार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (प्रियाः भार्या यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive singular (of him whose dear wife...)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• निवेदयितुम्: to report
• निवेदयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/तुमर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to report/inform’

• क्षमम्: proper/possible
• क्षमम्: Pratishedha/Anumati (प्रतिषेध/योग्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective ‘proper/possible’ (impersonal construction)

Context

"To carry or not to carry this news to Rama would be a mistake. What shall I do? I am facing a tough situation.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Janakātmajā)
• Janaka
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma of speech (vāg-dharma): truth must be conveyed responsibly; reporting uncertain or devastating conclusions without proof can become harmful and unrighteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān worries about the consequences of returning without Sītā and considers whether it is even proper to tell Rāma the bleak possibilities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and compassion—Hanumān restrains speech to avoid needless injury to Rāma’s mind.