Shloka 22

सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः

हनुमद्वृत्तान्तकथनम्, सीताभिज्ञान-प्रदानम्, लङ्कादाह-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

मम भक्षः प्रदिष्टस्त्वममरैर्हरिसत्तम।अतस्त्वां भक्षयिष्यामि विहितस्त्वं चिरस्य मे।।।।

Transliteration

mama bhakṣaḥ pradiṣṭas tvam amarair harisattama | atas tvāṃ bhakṣayiṣyāmi vihitas tvaṃ cirasya me ||

Translation

« Ô le plus noble des singes, les Immortels t’ont désigné pour être ma nourriture ; aussi te dévorerai-je : après longtemps, tu m’as été accordé. »

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive Singular)

• bhakṣaḥ: food/prey
• bhakṣaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• pradiṣṭaḥ: appointed/destined
• pradiṣṭaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√diś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भकṣaḥ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (appointed/destined)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• amaraiḥ: by the immortals (gods)
• amaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• harisattama: O best of monkeys
• harisattama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari-sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): harīṇāṃ sattamaḥ; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vocative Singular)

• atas: therefore
• atas: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal/consequential particle: therefore)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• bhakṣayiṣyāmi: I will eat/devour
• bhakṣayiṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• vihitaḥ: ordained/appointed
• vihitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; tvam इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (ordained/arranged)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• cirasya: after a long time
• cirasya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cirasya (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: after a long time/long since)

• me: for me/of me
• me: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूपम्; अत्र षष्ठीसम्बन्धे (Genitive Singular: for me/of me)

Context

'O powerful monkey! you are destined to be my food provided by the immortals. Therefore, I will eat you as I have I found you after a long time. (of unsatiated hunger).'

Characters & Entities

• Surasā
• Hanumān
• Amaras (Devas/immortals)

FAQs

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

The verse frames a dharmic dilemma: divine injunction versus one’s sworn mission—testing how one balances obedience, truth, and duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Surasā confronts Hanumān at sea, declaring that the gods have destined him as her prey.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s coming virtue is discernment (viveka): he must respond without arrogance, yet without abandoning his righteous task.