Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 45

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman Enters Lanka and Encounters Laṅkā-devatā

Devanagari script

अहं तु नगरी लङ्का स्वयमेव प्लवङ्गम।।।।निर्जिताहं त्वया वीर विक्रमेण महाबल।

Transliteration

ahaṃ tu nagarī laṅkā svayam eva plavaṅgama | nirjitāhaṃ tvayā vīra vikrameṇa mahābala ||

Translation

Ô singe, je suis la ville de Lanka elle-même en personne. Ô héros, ô puissant, j'ai été vaincue par ta valeur.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā Ekavacana; pronoun

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) contrast/emphasis

• nagarī: the city
• nagarī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nagarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; in apposition to laṅkā/aham

• laṅkā: Lanka
• laṅkā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; apposition

• svayam: by myself/itself
• svayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle of emphasis (निपात)

• plavaṅgama: O monkey
• plavaṅgama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana Ekavacana

• nirjitā: conquered
• nirjitā: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-jita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle from √ji (जि) with nir-; Strīliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; predicate adjective with implied ‘asmi’

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā Ekavacana; pronoun (repeated for emphasis)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā (तृतीया) Ekavacana; instrumental

• vīra: O hero
• vīra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana Ekavacana

• vikrameṇa: by valor
• vikrameṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana; instrumental of means

• mahābala: O mighty one
• mahābala: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi ‘one of great strength’

Context

"O monkey! I am Lanka incarnate. You have conquered me by your strength and valour.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Satya and dharma appear as honest acknowledgment: conceding defeat to righteous strength is a movement away from ego toward truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Laṅkā-devatā identifies herself as the embodied city and admits Hanumān’s victory over her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness in confession and humility—accepting reality when pride is broken.