Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 46

सीतासान्त्वनम् / Hanuman Consoles Sita with the News of Victory

Devanagari script

पापानांवाशुभानांवावधार्हाणांप्लवङ्गम ।।6.116.46।।कार्यंकरुण्यमार्येण न कश्चिन्नापराध्यति ।

Transliteration

pāpānāṃ vā śubhānāṃ vā vadhārhāṇāṃ plavaṅgama | kāryaṃ karuṇyam āryeṇa na kaścin nāparādhyati || 6.116.46 ||

Translation

罪ある者であれ善き者であれ、たとえ死に値すると見える者であっても、ああ猿よ、気高き者は慈悲をもって行うべきで、過ちを犯してはならない。

Word by Word

• pāpānām: of sinners
• pāpānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/neuter, genitive plural

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• śubhānām: of the good
• śubhānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/neuter, genitive plural

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle

• vadhārhāṇām: of those deserving death
• vadhārhāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadha-arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/neuter, genitive plural; tatpuruṣa 'vadhasya arha' (deserving killing)

• plavaṅgama: O monkey
• plavaṅgama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, vocative singular

• kāryam: what should be done
• kāryam: Karta (कर्ता) (impersonal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, nominative singular; predicate noun

• karuṇyam: compassion
• karuṇyam: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karuṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, nominative singular; in apposition to kāryam

• āryeṇa: by a noble person
• āryeṇa: Karana (करण/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, instrumental singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation

• kaścit: anyone
• kaścit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (प्रातिपदिक/निपात)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun, masculine nominative singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation (emphatic, with double negation style)

• aparādhyati: commits an offence / does wrong
• aparādhyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rādh (धातु) + apa-
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

Context

"Sinners or noble men, having done a wrong deed and deserve death. Also noble, will show compassion and not commit harm."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Dharma prioritizes compassionate restraint: even when punishment seems justified, the noble avoid unnecessary harm and guard themselves from adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā continues her counsel to Hanumān, urging mercy rather than violence toward vulnerable opponents.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Karuṇā (compassion) guided by ārya-bhāva (nobility of character).