Shloka 16

रावण-प्रहस्त-हनूमद्वार्ता

Ravana and Prahasta Question Hanuman

Devanagari script

अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि।।।।पितामहादेष वरो मामाप्येषोऽभ्युपागतः।

Transliteration

astrapāśair na śakyo ’haṃ baddhuṃ devāsurair api |

pitāmahād eṣa varo mām apy eṣo ’bhyupāgataḥ |

Translation

„Selbst Devas und Asuras vermögen mich nicht mit den Fesseln der Waffen zu binden. Ein solcher Segen — vom Großvater Brahmā gewährt — ist auch mir zuteilgeworden.“

Word by Word

• astra-pāśaiḥ: by weapon-bonds
• astra-pāśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; तत्पुरुषः (nooses/bonds of weapons)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रत्याख्यान/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle

• śakyaḥ: possible (to be)
• śakyaḥ: Predicative to aham (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक; √śak + yat)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; potential/passive adjective (able/possible)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• baddhum: to bind
• baddhum: Karma-pravacaniya/Complement (क्रिया-पूर्ति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bandh (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta (infinitive), 'to bind'

• deva-asuraiḥ: by gods and asuras
• deva-asuraiḥ: Kartṛ (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (gods and asuras)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (even/also)

• pitāmahāt: from the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• pitāmahāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana (ablative: from Brahmā)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of varaḥ (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; demonstrative

• varaḥ: boon
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (also)

• eṣaḥ: this (boon)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; refers to varaḥ

• abhyupāgataḥ: has been obtained/granted
• abhyupāgataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-upa-√gam (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta-participle used predicatively; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana (has come/has been granted)

Context

"Wishing to see the king I honoured this astra and not otherwise. Even though I was tormented by the ogres and released by the astra I submitted to you as I have a small work assigned by the king.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāvaṇa
• Devas
• Asuras
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

FAQs

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

Power is subordinated to dharma: Hanumān acknowledges divine order (Brahmā’s boon) rather than claiming mere personal superiority.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān explains that binding him by weapon-fetters is futile due to a boon, clarifying why capture by force is ineffective.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and authority—he states facts about his protections without panic or pleading.