Shloka 44

इन्द्रजित्प्रेषणम्—ब्रह्मास्त्रबन्धः, हनूमद्ग्रहणं, रावणसभाप्रवेशः

Indrajit’s Deployment—Brahmāstra Binding, Hanuman’s Capture, Entry into Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

ग्रहणे चापि रक्षोभिर्महन्मे गुणदर्शनम्।राक्षसेन्द्रेण संवादस्तस्माद्गृह्णन्तु मां परे।।।।

Transliteration

grahaṇe cāpi rakṣobhir mahan me guṇa-darśanam |

rākṣasendreṇa saṃvādas tasmād gṛhṇantu māṃ pare ||

Translation

«Même si les rākṣasas me saisissent, ce sera pour moi d’un grand profit : ils verront mes qualités, et j’aurai l’occasion de parler au roi des rākṣasas. Qu’ainsi les ennemis me prennent.»

Word by Word

• grahaṇe: in capture
• grahaṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in (the event of) capture’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• api: also/even
• api: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even/also)

• rakṣobhiḥ: by the demons
• rakṣobhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• me: for me/of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• guṇadarśanam: recognition of (my) qualities
• guṇadarśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa-darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—गुणानां दर्शनम् (seeing/recognition of qualities)

• rākṣasendreṇa: by the demon-lord
• rākṣasendreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa-indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः (lord of demons)

• saṃvādaḥ: conversation
• saṃvādaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu-marker (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (ablative used adverbially); हेत्वर्थे (therefore)

• gṛhṇantu: let them seize
• gṛhṇantu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• pare: the enemies
• pare: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘others’ → शत्रवः (enemies)

Context

'If I am caught by the demon I will have the opportunity to see the demon lord. Therefore, let me be caught by my enemies'.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• rākṣasas
• rākṣasendra (Rāvaṇa implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma as purposeful action: Hanumān treats personal risk as acceptable when it serves the righteous mission—seeking a direct encounter to advance Rāma’s cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān decides that being captured can strategically lead him to an audience with the rākṣasa-king.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic courage: willingness to accept constraint to achieve a higher objective.