Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 44

इन्द्रजित्प्रेषणम्—ब्रह्मास्त्रबन्धः, हनूमद्ग्रहणं, रावणसभाप्रवेशः

Indrajit’s Deployment—Brahmāstra Binding, Hanuman’s Capture, Entry into Ravana’s Court

Devanagari script

ग्रहणे चापि रक्षोभिर्महन्मे गुणदर्शनम्।राक्षसेन्द्रेण संवादस्तस्माद्गृह्णन्तु मां परे।।।।

Transliteration

grahaṇe cāpi rakṣobhir mahan me guṇa-darśanam |

rākṣasendreṇa saṃvādas tasmād gṛhṇantu māṃ pare ||

Translation

‘ರಾಕ್ಷಸರು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದರೂ ಅದು ನನಗೆ ಮಹತ್ತರ ಗುಣದರ್ಶನವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ—ಅವರು ನನ್ನ ಗುಣಗಳನ್ನು ಕಾಣುವರು; ಮತ್ತು ರಾಕ್ಷಸರಾಜನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಂವಾದದ ಅವಕಾಶವೂ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಶತ್ರುಗಳು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿಯಲಿ.’

Word by Word

• grahaṇe: in capture
• grahaṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in (the event of) capture’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• api: also/even
• api: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even/also)

• rakṣobhiḥ: by the demons
• rakṣobhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• me: for me/of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• guṇadarśanam: recognition of (my) qualities
• guṇadarśanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa-darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—गुणानां दर्शनम् (seeing/recognition of qualities)

• rākṣasendreṇa: by the demon-lord
• rākṣasendreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa-indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः (lord of demons)

• saṃvādaḥ: conversation
• saṃvādaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu-marker (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (ablative used adverbially); हेत्वर्थे (therefore)

• gṛhṇantu: let them seize
• gṛhṇantu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• pare: the enemies
• pare: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘others’ → शत्रवः (enemies)

Context

'If I am caught by the demon I will have the opportunity to see the demon lord. Therefore, let me be caught by my enemies'.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• rākṣasas
• rākṣasendra (Rāvaṇa implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma as purposeful action: Hanumān treats personal risk as acceptable when it serves the righteous mission—seeking a direct encounter to advance Rāma’s cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān decides that being captured can strategically lead him to an audience with the rākṣasa-king.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic courage: willingness to accept constraint to achieve a higher objective.