Shloka 5.51.23

हनूमदुपदेशः रावणस्य च कोपः (Hanuman’s Counsel to Ravana and Ravana’s Wrath)

Devanagari script

लक्षितेयं मया सीता तथा शोकपरायणा।गृह्य यां नाभिजानासि पञ्चास्यामिव पन्नगीम्।।।।

Transliteration

lakṣiteyaṃ mayā sītā tathā śokaparāyaṇā | gṛhya yāṃ nābhijānāsi pañcāsyām iva pannagīm ||

Translation

I have seen Sītā, wholly given over to grief. Having seized her, you do not understand that you are keeping in your house a five-hooded she-serpent.

Context

"I have seen Sita immersed in deep sorrow. You do not realise that by abducting her you are keeping a five-hooded female serpent in your house.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Adharma—abducting another’s lawful wife—invites self-destruction. The verse frames Sītā’s captivity as a peril to the captor, warning that unrighteous possession is inherently dangerous.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān rebukes Rāvaṇa for abducting Sītā and emphasizes that her presence in Laṅkā will bring ruin upon him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage: Hanumān speaks fearlessly to a tyrant, naming the act as adharma and predicting its consequences.