Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 18

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

Hanuman’s Offer of Rescue and Sita’s Dharmic Refusal

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वैव तु वचो मह्यं क्षिप्रमेष्यति राघवः।चमूं प्रकर्षन्महतीं हर्यृक्षगणसङ्कुलाम्।।।।

Transliteration

śrutvaiva tu vaco mahyaṃ kṣipram eṣyati rāghavaḥ |

camūṃ prakarṣan mahatīṃ haryṛkṣagaṇasaṅkulām ||

Translation

Sobald er meine Botschaft vernimmt, wird Rāghava eilends kommen und ein gewaltiges Heer heranführen, dicht erfüllt von Scharen der Affen und Bären.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) ‘having heard’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/contrast)

• वचः: words/message
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘to me/for me’

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly/soon
• क्षिप्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एष्यति: will come/arrive
• एष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: i (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• राघवः: Rama
• राघवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चमूम्: army
• चमूम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रकर्षन्: leading/drawing along
• प्रकर्षन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘राघवः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• महतीम्: great/huge
• महतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘चमूम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हर्यृक्षगणसङ्कुलाम्: crowded with troops of monkeys and bears
• हर्यृक्षगणसङ्कुलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (हरयश्च ऋक्षाश्च तेषां गणैः सङ्कुला); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘चमूम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Context

"On hearing me Rama will reach soon with a huge army of vanaras and bears.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Vānaras (monkeys)
• Ṛkṣas (bears)

FAQs

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

Dharma is upheld through responsible action and truthful assurance—Hanumān pledges help grounded in duty to Rāma and Sītā.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān comforts Sītā, promising that Rāma will arrive soon once informed, accompanied by allied forces.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s loyalty and reliability as a messenger (dūta-dharma).