Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 11

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

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

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठा कन्या नला नाम विभीषणसुता कपे।तया ममेदमाख्यातं मात्रा प्रहितया स्वयम्।।।।

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhā kanyā nalā nāma vibhīṣaṇasutā kape |

tayā mamedam ākhyātaṃ mātrā prahitayā svayam ||

Translation

Oh mono, la hija mayor de Vibhīṣaṇa, llamada Nalā, vino en persona, enviada por su madre, y me informó de este asunto.

Word by Word

• jyeṣṭhā: eldest
• jyeṣṭhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifying kanyā

• kanyā: girl; daughter
• kanyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nalā: Nala (name)
• nalā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper name in apposition

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नामनिर्देशक अव्यय (particle meaning 'named')

• vibhīṣaṇa-sutā: daughter of Vibhishana
• vibhīṣaṇa-sutā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विभीषणस्य सुता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to kanyā

• kape: O monkey
• kape: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• tayā: by her
• tayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• mama: to me
• mama: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन (recipient)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of ākhyātam

• ākhyātam: was reported
• ākhyātam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√khyā (धातु) > ākhyāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; passive 'was told/reported'

• mātrā: by (her) mother
• mātrā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• prahitayā: sent (by her)
• prahitayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√hi (धातु) > prahita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; qualifying mātrā

• svayam: personally
• svayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वयम्-शब्दः अव्यय (adverb: personally)

Context

"O vanara! Nala the eldest daughter of Vibhisana sent by her mother came here personally and reported this to me.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Nalā (Vibhīṣaṇa’s daughter)

FAQs

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

Truthful communication and reliable testimony support dharma; even within an enemy realm, righteous persons help transmit truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā explains to Hanumān how she received certain information—through Nalā, connected to Vibhīṣaṇa’s household.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and truthfulness in reporting (satya-vacana), and the emergence of dharmic allies even among Rākṣasas.