Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 22

सीतासान्त्वनम् / Hanuman Consoles Sita with the News of Victory

Devanagari script

भर्तुःप्रियहितेयुक्तेभर्तुर्विजयकाङ्क्षिण: ।।6.116.22।।स्निग्धमेवंविधंवाक्यंत्वमेवार्हस्यनिन्दिते ।

Transliteration

bhartuḥ priyahite yukte bhartur vijayakāṅkṣiṇaḥ | snigdham evaṃvidhaṃ vākyaṃ tvam evārhasy anindite ||

Translation

非の打ちどころのないお方よ、あなただけがそのような愛情のこもった言葉を口にするにふさわしい。夫にとって愛しく有益なことを求め、その勝利を切望しておられます。

Word by Word

• bhartuḥ: of (your) husband
• bhartuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• priya-hite: in (his) dear-and-beneficial (interest)
• priya-hite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक) + hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (priyaṃ ca hitaṃ ca) used adverbially ‘in what is dear and beneficial’

• yukte: O devoted one
• yukte: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (√yuj, क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सम्बोधन/सप्तमी (Voc./Loc.), एकवचन; here vocative sense addressing Sita: ‘O devoted/fit one’

• bhartuḥ: of (your) husband
• bhartuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Gen.), एकवचन

• vijaya-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ: of (him) who desires victory
• vijaya-kāṅkṣiṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijaya (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṅkṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘विजयं काङ्क्षति’ (desiring victory)

• snigdham: affectionate
• snigdham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण of "vākyaṃ"

• evaṃ-vidham: of this kind
• evaṃ-vidham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—‘एवंविध’ = of such a kind

• vākyam: speech, words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: only/indeed)

• arhasi: are worthy (to)
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (अर्ह्) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• anindite: O blameless one
• anindite: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anindita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Context

Spoken in that way by Vaidehi, Hanuman stood with folded palms in front of Sita and replied in delight.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Rāma (as bhartā)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as loyal commitment to the spouse’s welfare (priya-hita) and righteous hope for victory; speech aligned with that welfare is praised as ethically ideal.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān responds to Sītā’s praise by affirming her purity and the appropriateness of her words for Rāma’s welfare.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s anindyatā (irreproachability) and pativratā-dharma—single-minded concern for her husband’s good.