Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 32

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

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

Devanagari script

न मे जानाति सत्त्वं वा प्रभावं वाऽसितेक्षणा।तस्मात्पश्यतु वैदेही यद्रूपं मम कामतः।।।।

Transliteration

na me jānāti sattvaṃ vā prabhāvaṃ vā asitekṣaṇā | tasmāt paśyatu vaidehī yad rūpaṃ mama kāmataḥ ||

Translation

„Sītā mit den dunklen Augen kennt weder meine Stärke noch meine Macht; darum soll Vaidehī die Gestalt sehen, die ich nach meinem Willen annehmen kann.“

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी; एकवचन

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट्; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सत्त्वम्: strength/valor
• सत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• प्रभावम्: power/might
• प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• असितेक्षणा: the dark-eyed lady (Sita)
• असितेक्षणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asita-īkṣaṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (असिते ईक्षणे यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे/उपाधि (here as subject-apposition)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tasmāt (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् (therefore/from that reason)

• पश्यतु: let her see
• पश्यतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (injunctive sense: 'let her see')

• वैदेही: Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी; एकवचन

• कामतः: at will
• कामतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kāmatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इच्छानुसार (adverb: 'as I wish/at will')

Context

'Black-eyed Sita is not aware of my strength or my power. Therefore let her see the real (huge) form that I can assume at my free will'.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā (Asitekṣaṇā, Vaidehī)

FAQs

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

Truth made evident through responsible demonstration: Hanumān chooses a non-harmful proof to establish credibility, aligning power with a righteous purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān realizes Sītā doubts his capacity, so he decides to reveal his true, larger form to reassure her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s commitment to satya (veracity) and skillful means—he supports his promise with demonstrable capability.