Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 21

हनूमत्सीतासंवादः

Hanuman’s Offer of Rescue and Sita’s Dharmic Refusal

Devanagari script

अहं प्रस्रवणस्थाय राघवायाद्य मैथिलि।प्रापयिष्यामि शक्राय हव्यं हुतमिवानलः।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ prasravaṇasthāya rāghavāyādya maithili |

prāpayiṣyāmi śakrāya havyaṃ hutam ivānalaḥ ||

Translation

Wahai Maithilī, hari ini akan kusampaikan engkau kepada Rāghava yang menanti di Prasravaṇa—laksana api suci menghantarkan persembahan yang dipersembahkan kepada Śakra (Indra).

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रस्रवणस्थाय: to (Rama) staying at Prasravana
• प्रस्रवणस्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (प्रस्रवणे स्थितः = प्रस्रवणस्थ); पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; ‘to the one staying at Prasravana’

• राघवाय: to Rama
• राघवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (time adverb)

• मैथिलि: O Maithili
• मैथिलि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रापयिष्यामि: I will deliver/bring
• प्रापयिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु) (णिच् causative: prāpay-)
• Form: णिजन्त (causative), लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शक्राय: to Indra
• शक्राय: Upamana-sambandha (उपमान-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; उपमान-सम्बन्धे (for comparison)

• हव्यम्: oblation
• हव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• हुतम्: offered (into fire)
• हुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘हव्यम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (simile marker)

• अनलः: fire
• अनलः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमान (simile subject)

Context

"O Mythili! Just as oblations offered to the sacred fire goes to Indra, I shall offer you today to Rama waiting on the Prasravana mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā (Maithilī)
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Prasravaṇa
• Śakra (Indra)
• Anala (sacred fire)

FAQs

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

Dharma as faithful mediation: Hanumān acts as a righteous messenger and deliverer, aligning action with sacred order—like fire fulfilling its ordained role of carrying offerings.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān reassures Sītā that he can reunite her with Rāma immediately, invoking a Vedic-style analogy to underscore certainty and sanctity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reliability and sacred-minded duty: Hanumān frames his rescue not as bravado but as an almost ritual certainty in service of Rāma and Sītā.