Shloka 156

सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः

हनुमद्वृत्तान्तकथनम्, सीताभिज्ञान-प्रदानम्, लङ्कादाह-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

विनष्टा जानकी व्यक्तं न ह्यदग्धः प्रदृश्यते।।5.58.156।।लङ्कायां कश्चिदुद्धेशः सर्वा भस्मीकृता पुरी।

Transliteration

vinaṣṭā jānakī vyaktaṃ na hy adagdhaḥ pradṛśyate |

laṅkāyāṃ kaścid uddeśaḥ sarvā bhasmīkṛtā purī ||

Translation

Assurément, Jānakī a péri ; aucun endroit de Lanka ne semble épargné par les flammes ; la ville entière a été réduite en cendres.

Word by Word

• dahatā: by (me) burning
• dahatā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dah (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ; present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘mayā’ इत्यर्थे (by me while burning)

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

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥ (कर्ता) / Agent (कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dagdhā: burnt
• dagdhā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dagdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘dah’ धातोः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘sītā’ इति विशेषणम्

• sītā: Sita
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘na’ इत्यनेन निषिद्धः

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): निश्चये/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• mahat-kāryam: great task
• mahat-kāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: महत् कार्यम् (great task); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र द्वितीया (vitathīkṛtam इत्यस्य कर्म)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘kāryam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vitathīkṛtam: made futile/spoiled
• vitathīkṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-tathī-kṛ (धातु; कṛ with उपसर्ग/नामधातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘kṛ’ धातोः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘mahatkāryam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण (made futile/ruined)

Characters & Entities

• Janaki (Sita)
• Lanka
• Hanuman (implied thinker)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes accountability: Hanuman immediately measures his actions against Rama’s objective and fears unintended harm to the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

After setting Lanka ablaze, Hanuman looks upon the destruction and worries that Sita may have been burned as well.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hri (moral shame) and responsibility: even a victorious act is questioned if it may violate protection of the blameless.