Shloka 42

रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च

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

Devanagari script

चितां कृत्वा प्रवेक्ष्यामि समिद्धमरणीसुतम्।उपविष्टस्य वा सम्यग्लिङ्गिनीं साधयिष्यतः।।।।शरीरं भक्षयिष्यन्ति वायसाः श्वापदानि च।

Transliteration

citāṃ kṛtvā pravekṣyāmi samiddham araṇīsutam |

upaviṣṭasya vā samyag liṅginīṃ sādhayiṣyataḥ ||

śarīraṃ bhakṣayiṣyanti vāyasāḥ śvāpadāni ca |

Translation

Ich werde einen Scheiterhaufen errichten und in das Feuer treten, das aus den Feuerhölzern entzündet wurde; oder aber, hier sitzend, werde ich das Gelübde des Fastens bis zum Tod vollziehen, bis Krähen und wilde Tiere diesen Leib verzehren.

Word by Word

• वान-प्रस्थः: a forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• वान-प्रस्थः: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनं प्रस्थितः)

• भविष्यामि: I shall become
• भविष्यामि: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/पदार्थ-प्रकाशक (particle: indeed/for)

• अदृष्ट्वा: without seeing
• अदृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having not seen' (नञ्-पूर्वक)

• जनक-आत्मजाम्: Janaka's daughter (Sita)
• जनक-आत्मजाम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जनकस्य आत्मजा)

• सागर-अनूप-जः: born on the sea-shore
• सागर-अनूप-जः: अधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + अनूप (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (सागरानूपजे); तत्पुरुषः (सागरस्य अनूपे जातः)

• देशे: in the place
• देशे: अधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• बहु-मूल-फल-उदके: in (a place) with many roots, fruits, and water
• बहु-मूल-फल-उदके: अधिकरण-विशेषण (अधिकरण-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बहूनि मूलफलानि उदकं च यस्मिन्)

Context

"I will prepare a pyre and enter the fire so that sea waves wash off the ashes or crows and beasts will eat up my body while i sit fasting unto death.

Characters & Entities

• Fire (araṇīsuta/agni)
• Wild beasts (śvāpadāni)

FAQs

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

The verse dramatizes the danger of despair: when duty feels threatened, the mind imagines self-harm; the Ramayana’s ethical arc later corrects this toward perseverance and life-affirming dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman, overwhelmed by the fear of failing Rama’s mission, considers extreme forms of self-ending—immolation or fasting unto death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Intense accountability: even in error, Hanuman’s thoughts show how seriously he treats responsibility to Rama and Sītā.