Shloka 1

स्वयंप्रभा

प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Svayamprabha Explains the Golden Forest and Questions the Vanaras

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा हनुमांस्तत्र पुनः कृष्णाजिनाम्बराम्।अब्रवीत्तां महाभागां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम्।।4.51.1।।

Transliteration

ity uktvā hanumān tatra punaḥ kṛṣṇājināmbarām | abravīt tāṃ mahābhāgāṃ tāpasīṃ dharmacāriṇīm ||

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞ ശേഷം ഹനുമാൻ അവിടെ വീണ്ടും കൃഷ്ണാജിനവസ്ത്രധാരിണിയും ധർമ്മാചരണത്തിൽ നിഷ്ഠയുള്ളതുമായ മഹാഭാഗ്യവതിയായ താപസിയോട് സംസാരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यपरामर्श (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-परामर्श (quotative particle: thus)

• उक्त्वा: having spoken
• उक्त्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having said)

• हनुमान्: Hanuman
• हनुमान्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again)

• कृष्णाजिन-अम्बराम्: wearing a black antelope-skin garment
• कृष्णाजिन-अम्बराम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्णाजिन (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सम्बन्ध: ‘कृष्णाजिनस्य अम्बरम्’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तापसीम्’ विशेषयति

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ताम्: to her
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महाभागाम्: most fortunate/noble
• महाभागाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘महान् भागः यस्याः’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ताम्/तापसीम्’ विशेषयति

• तापसीम्: female ascetic
• तापसीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धर्म-चारिणीम्: practising righteousness
• धर्म-चारिणीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद: ‘धर्मं चरति’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तापसीम्’ विशेषयति

Context

On meeting the distinguished, righteous ascetic woman robed in deer skin, Hanuman said:

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• tāpasī (ascetic woman)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as reverence toward a dharma-practicing ascetic; approaching the righteous with respectful speech is itself a mark of right conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, after prior remarks, continues the conversation with the ascetic woman encountered in the cave/forest setting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and courtesy—Hanumān’s respectful engagement with a dharma-observant ascetic.