Shloka 18
लङ्कादाहानन्तरचिन्ता
Hanuman’s Post-Conflagration Self-Examination and Assurance of Sita’s Safety
एतदेव वचश्श्रुत्वा भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः।धर्मात्मा सहशत्रुघ्नः कथं शक्ष्यति जीवितुम्।।।।
etad eva vacaḥ śrutvā bharato bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ | dharmātmā saha-śatrughnaḥ kathaṁ śakṣyati jīvitum ||
Als er nur diese Kunde vernahm, wie könnte Bharata—brüderliebend und von rechtschaffener Seele—weiterleben, selbst zusammen mit Śatrughna?
'When the righteous Ikshvaku race perishes the people would be tormented by grief and remorse. There is no doubt.
FAQs
Dharma is relational: righteousness is sustained through loyalty and love within family. Hanumān recognizes the moral and emotional bonds that make such loss unbearable.
Hanumān extends his fear beyond the battlefield—imagining how the tragedy would devastate Bharata and Śatrughna if they learned Sītā had been lost.
Bharata’s brotherly devotion (bhrātṛ-vātsalya) and dharmic character are highlighted as defining traits.