Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 3, Shloka 51

लङ्काप्रवेशः

Hanuman Enters Lanka and Encounters Laṅkā-devatā

Devanagari script

प्रविश्य शापोपहतां हरीश्वर शुभां पुरीं राक्षसमुख्यपालिताम्।यदृच्छया त्वं जनकात्मजां सतीं विमार्ग सर्वत्र गतो यथासुखम्।।।।

Transliteration

praviśya śāpōpahatāṃ harīśvara śubhāṃ purīṃ rākṣasa-mukhya-pālitām | yadṛcchayā tvaṃ janakātmajāṃ satīṃ vimārga sarvatra gato yathāsukham ||

Translation

「猿たちの主よ、呪いに打たれながらも吉祥なるこの都へ入れ。羅刹の首領に守られ治められている。心のままに四方を巡り、至るところでジャナカの貞淑なる娘シーターを探し求めよ。」

Word by Word

• praviśya: having entered
• praviśya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्) ‘having entered’

• śāpa-upahatām: afflicted by a curse
• śāpa-upahatām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + upahata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying purīm; tatpuruṣa ‘struck by a curse’

• harīśvara: O lord of vanaras
• harīśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana Ekavacana

• śubhām: auspicious
• śubhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying purīm

• purīm: city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana

• rākṣasa-mukhya-pālitām: ruled by the demon-chief
• rākṣasa-mukhya-pālitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक) + pālita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying purīm; tatpuruṣa ‘ruled by the chief of demons’

• yadṛcchayā: by chance/freely
• yadṛcchayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yadṛcchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā Ekavacana; instrumental adverbial ‘by chance/at will’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā Ekavacana

• janaka-ātmajām: Janaka's daughter (Sita)
• janaka-ātmajām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी) ‘daughter of Janaka’

• satīm: chaste/virtuous
• satīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā Ekavacana; adjective qualifying janakātmajām

• vimārga: search
• vimārga: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√mṛg (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ, Madhyama-puruṣa Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ‘search!’

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place

• gataḥ: having gone
• gataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Kta past participle from √gam; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; predicate with tvam ‘having gone’

• yathā-sukham: at ease/as you like
• yathā-sukham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound functioning as avyaya; adverb ‘at ease/as you please’

Context

"O great vanara! enter the city ruled by Ravana and accomplish your purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Janaka
• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma is service to the innocent and virtuous: the search for Sītā (satī, janakātmajā) is framed as the central righteous task, sanctioned even by the city’s own presiding power.

What is the narrative situation?

Laṅkā-devatā concludes by instructing Hanumān to enter Laṅkā and search everywhere for Sītā, despite the city being under a curse and ruled by Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s dutiful resolve and disciplined freedom: he may move “yathāsukham,” yet only in service of the righteous objective.