Valmiki Ramayana 5.17.28 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 28

सप्तदशः सर्गः

Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा हनुमान् सीतां मृगशाबनिभेक्षणाम्।मृगकन्यामिव त्रस्तां वीक्षमाणां समन्ततः।।।।दहन्तीमिव निःश्वासैर्वृक्षान् पल्लवधारिणः।संघातमिव शोकानां दुःखस्योर्मिमिवोत्थिताम्।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā hanumān sītāṃ mṛgaśābanibhekṣaṇām | mṛgakanyām iva trastāṃ vīkṣamāṇāṃ samantataḥ | dahantīm iva niḥśvāsair vṛkṣān pallavadhāriṇaḥ | saṅghātam iva śokānāṃ duḥkhasyormim ivotthitām || 5.17.28 ||

Translation

ເມື່ອຮນຸມານເຫັນສີຕາ ຜູ້ມີສາຍຕາດັ່ງລູກກວາງ ກໍເຫັນນາງຫວາດຫວັນດັ່ງກວາງນ້ອຍ ເບິ່ງຫັນໄປທົ່ວທິດ; ດ້ວຍລົມຫາຍໃຈສະອື້ນຂອງນາງ ຮາວກັບຈະເຜົາຕົ້ນໄມ້ທີ່ມີໃບອ່ອນ—ດັ່ງກອງໂສກອັນໜາແນ່ນ, ດັ່ງຄື້ນແຫ່ງທຸກຂ໌ທີ່ລຸກສູງ

Word by Word

• namaskṛtvā: having saluted
• namaskṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛ (धातु) → namaskṛtvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); 'having saluted'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• rāmāya: to Rama
• rāmāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular

• lakṣmaṇāya: to Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Dative singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• vīryavān: valorous
• vīryavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīryavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'possessing valor'; qualifying hanumān

• sītā-darśana-saṃhṛṣṭaḥ: delighted at seeing Sita
• sītā-darśana-saṃhṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhṛṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; क्तान्त (PPP) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'delighted by seeing Sita'; qualifying hanumān

• hanumān: Hanuman
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject

• saṃvṛtaḥ: concealed/covered
• saṃvṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ- (उपसर्ग) + vṛ (धातु) → saṃvṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective with abhavat; 'covered/concealed'

• abhavat: became/remained
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; 'became/remained'

Context

Seeing the fawneyed Sita, a frightened female deer looking all around (as if for some help) sighing hot breath, was as though burning the trees having tender leaves with her hot sighs. She looked like a collective mass of all sorrows, a high tide of suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• trees (in Aśoka grove)

FAQs

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

It highlights the moral cost of adharma (abduction and intimidation): dharma protects the vulnerable, whereas tyranny produces fear and pervasive suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān watches Sītā’s anxious vigilance—she scans all directions, fearing further threat—revealing the intensity of her captivity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s endurance under extreme distress; Hanumān’s compassion is deepened by witnessing her fear.