Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 14

लङ्कादाहानन्तरचिन्ता

Hanuman’s Post-Conflagration Self-Examination and Assurance of Sita’s Safety

Devanagari script

कथं हि जीवता शक्यो मया द्रष्टुं हरीश्वरः।तौ वा पुरुषशार्दूलौ कार्यसर्वस्वघातिना।।।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ hi jīvatā śakyo mayā draṣṭuṃ harīśvaraḥ |

tau vā puruṣaśārdūlau kāryasarvasvaghātinā ||

Translation

Comment pourrais-je, encore en vie, faire face au seigneur des singes ou à ces deux tigres parmi les hommes, après avoir anéanti l'essence même de cette entreprise ?

Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (avyaya)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle; emphasis

• jīvatā: while alive
• jīvatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: present active participle (शतृ); Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; 'while living/being alive'

• śakyaḥ: possible
• śakyaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक; from √śak)
• Form: Kṛdanta: potential/gerundive (यत्/yat); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'possible'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Instrumental, Singular

• draṣṭum: to see
• draṣṭum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: infinitive (tumun/तुमुन्)

• harīśvaraḥ: lord of monkeys (Sugriva)
• harīśvaraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: harīṇām īśvaraḥ; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tau: those two
• tau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Alternative particle; 'or/and also'

• puruṣa-śārdūlau: two tigers among men
• puruṣa-śārdūlau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: puruṣeṣu śārdūlau; Masculine, Accusative, Dual; epithet of Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa

• kārya-sarvasva-ghātinā: by one who has ruined the whole enterprise
• kārya-sarvasva-ghātinā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक) + sarvasva (प्रातिपदिक) + ghātin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (multi-member): kāryasya sarvasvasya ghātī; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; qualifying 'mayā'

Context

'Having spoilt the entire work how can I show my face to the king of monkeys? How is it possible to see both the tigers among men?

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Harīśvara (Sugrīva)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Duty to truth and trust: Hanumān feels answerable to leaders and companions; dharma includes being worthy of the faith placed in oneself.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān imagines returning after failure and dreads facing Sugrīva, Rāma, and Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Loyalty and honor: he measures himself by fidelity to the mission and the expectations of righteous leaders.