Shloka 8

सीताया यशोधर्मविचारः

Sita’s Counsel on Honor, Rescue-Strategy, and Hanuman’s Reassurance

Devanagari script

कथं नु खलु दुष्पारं तरिष्यन्ति महोदधिम्।तानि हर्यृक्षसैन्यानि तौ वा नरवरात्मजौ।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṁ nu khalu duṣpāraṁ tariṣyanti mahodadhim |

tāni haryṛkṣasainyāni tau vā naravarātmajau ||

Translation

Wie sollen denn jene Heere von Affen und Bären den großen Ozean überqueren, so schwer zu durchschreiten? Und wie sollen jene beiden Fürsten, Söhne des besten der Menschen, ihn überqueren?

Word by Word

कथम्how

नुindeed?, pray

खलुsurely

दुष्पारम्hard to cross

तरिष्यन्तिwill cross

महोदधिम्the great ocean

तानिthose

हर्यृक्षसैन्यानिthe armies of monkeys and bears

तौthose two

वाor

नरवरात्मजौthe two sons of the best of men (Rama and Lakshmana)

Context

'O valiant (Hanuman)! by your presence here, the less fortunate me, will be relieved of sorrow for a while.

Characters & Entities

Sītā

Hanumān

Rāma

Lakṣmaṇa

Vānara-s

Mahodadhi (ocean)

FAQs

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

Truthful inquiry in service of a righteous goal: Sītā’s questions aim at the practical fulfillment of dharma (rescue and restoration), not at despair.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā, while hopeful, raises the logistical obstacle of the ocean separating the allies from Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Concern for others’ welfare—she worries not only for herself, but for Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and the allied host.