Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 20

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

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

Devanagari script

त्वां हि पृष्ठगतां कृत्वा सन्तरिष्यामि सागरम्।शक्तिरस्ति हि मे वोढुं लङ्कामपि सरावणाम् ।।।।

Transliteration

tvāṃ hi pṛṣṭhagatāṃ kṛtvā santariṣyāmi sāgaram |

śaktir asti hi me voḍhuṃ laṅkām api sarāvaṇām ||

Translation

Wenn ich dich auf meinen Rücken setze, werde ich den Ozean überqueren. Wahrlich, ich habe die Kraft, selbst Laṅkā zu tragen — Rāvaṇa dazu.

Word by Word

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic/causal particle)

• पृष्ठगताम्: gone onto (my) back / on my back
• पृष्ठगताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त, गम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पृष्ठे गता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘त्वाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘having done/made’

• सन्तरिष्यामि: I will cross over
• सन्तरिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-tṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सागरम्: the ocean
• सागरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: ability/power
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphasis)

• मे: for me/of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन (genitive ‘of me’); (क्वचित् दत्तिवत् प्रयोगः)

• वोढुम्: to carry
• वोढुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive) ‘to carry’

• लङ्काम्: Lanka
• लङ्काम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (inclusion ‘even/also’)

• सरावणाम्: together with Ravana
• सरावणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (रावणेन सह = सरावण); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘लङ्काम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Context

"Placing you on my back I shall cross the ocean. Indeed, I have the capacity to carry the entire city of Lanka along with Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa
• Ocean (Sāgara)

FAQs

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

Dharma as selfless service: Hanumān offers his full strength for Sītā’s safety and Rāma’s cause, placing duty above self-preservation.

What is the narrative situation?

After locating Sītā in Laṅkā, Hanumān proposes immediate rescue by carrying her across the ocean to rejoin Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s vīrya (heroic strength) and bhakti-driven initiative—confidence used in the service of righteousness, not personal gain.