Shloka 18

रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च

Hanuman’s Circuit of Ravana’s Palace and the Crisis of Deliberation

Devanagari script

निवेद्यमाने दोषस्स्याद्दोषस्स्यादनिवेदने।।।।कथं नु खलु कर्तव्यं विषमं प्रतिभाति मे।

Transliteration

nivedyamāne doṣaḥ syād doṣaḥ syād anivedane | kathaṃ nu khalu kartavyaṃ viṣamaṃ pratibhāti me ||

Translation

Si je le rapporte, il y aura faute ; si je ne le rapporte pas, il y aura faute aussi. Que faut-il donc faire ? La situation m’apparaît terriblement périlleuse.

Word by Word

निवेद्यमानेwhen informing

दोषःfault

स्यात्may be

दोषःfault

स्यात्may be

अनिवेदनेin not informing

कथम्how

नुindeed/then

खलुsurely/indeed

कर्तव्यम्what should be done

विषमम्difficult/uneven

प्रतिभातिappears/seems

मेto me

Context

"I wonder what the right course of action is when things have taken such a turn? What is proper for me to do? Hanuman once again deliberated.

Characters & Entities

Hanumān

Rāma (implied as recipient of report)

FAQs

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

Dharma involves discerning right action when duties conflict: satya (truth-telling) must be balanced with ahimsā (non-harm) and responsibility, especially under uncertainty.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān is torn between informing Rāma of failure (or grim possibilities) and withholding it, fearing wrongdoing in either choice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment—Hanumān actively evaluates consequences rather than acting impulsively.