Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 45

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

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

Devanagari script

पतिता सागरे चाहं तिमिनक्रझषाकुले।भवेयमाशु विवशा यादसामन्नमुत्तमम्।।5.37.45।।

Transliteration

patitā sāgare cāhaṃ timi-nakra-jhaṣākule | bhaveyam āśu vivaśā yādasām annam uttamam ||

Translation

Fiele ich in den Ozean, der von Walen, Krokodilen und Fischen wimmelt, würde ich rasch hilflos werden—eine vortreffliche Beute für die Wesen der Wasser.

Word by Word

• patitā: fallen
• patitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'fallen' (agreeing with aham)

• sāgare: in the ocean
• sāgare: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Discourse/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• timi-nakra-jhaṣa-ākule: crowded with whales, crocodiles, and fish
• timi-nakra-jhaṣa-ākule: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: timi + nakra + jhaṣa + ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies sāgare) — 'crowded with whales, crocodiles, and fish'

• bhaveyam: I would become
• bhaveyam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Discourse/Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक

• vivaśā: helpless
• vivaśā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate)

• yādasām: of aquatic creatures
• yādasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yādas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• annam: food
• annam: Pratijñā/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Pratijñā/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies annam)

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Hanuman
• Ocean (Sagara)

FAQs

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

Dharma emphasizes responsibility for consequences: a righteous rescue must not create a predictable catastrophe for the rescued.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā details the mortal danger of falling into the ocean during an aerial escape, strengthening her argument against the plan.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s foresight—she anticipates concrete risks rather than being carried away by hope alone.