Shloka 36

रावणान्तःपुर-पानभूमि-विचयः

Hanumān’s Survey of Rāvaṇa’s Inner Palace and Banquet Hall

Devanagari script

निरीक्षमाणश्च तदा ताः स्त्रियः स महाकपिः।।5.11.36।।जगाम महतीं चिन्तां धर्मसाध्वसशङ्कितः।

Transliteration

nirīkṣamāṇaś ca tadā tāḥ striyaḥ sa mahā-kapiḥ || 5.11.36 || jagāma mahatīṃ cintāṃ dharma-sādhvasa-śaṅkitaḥ |

Translation

അപ്പോൾ മഹാകപിയായ ഹനുമാൻ ആ സ്ത്രീകളെ നിരീക്ഷിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ, ധർമ്മലംഘനം സംഭവിച്ചുവോ എന്ന ആശങ്കകൊണ്ട് അത്യന്തം ചിന്തയിൽ ആഴ്ന്നു.

Word by Word

• nirīkṣamāṇaḥ: while observing
• nirīkṣamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (participial, agreeing with sa mahākapiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-īkṣ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; √īkṣ (ईक्ष्) with उपसर्ग nir-

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

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• tāḥ: those (women)
• tāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• striyaḥ: women
• striyaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to tāḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), बहुवचन (Vedic/epic alternation: striyaḥ for strīḥ)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahā-kapiḥ: the great monkey
• mahā-kapiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• jagāma: went into; came to
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम्, धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• mahatīm: great
• mahatīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of cintām
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन

• cintām: anxiety; worry
• cintām: Karma (कर्म) (object of jagāma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc/2nd), एकवचन

• dharma-sādhvasa-śaṅkitaḥ: anxious fearing a breach of dharma
• dharma-sādhvasa-śaṅkitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of sa mahākapiḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhvasa (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṅkita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: dharme sādhvasena śaṅkitaḥ (alarmed/suspecting due to fear regarding dharma)

Context

The great monkey was very much worried as he thought he had transgressed the moral code by watching the women.

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• women of the inner chambers (implied)

FAQs

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

Moral accountability: even when acting for a righteous goal, one must remain alert to the boundaries of propriety (maryādā) and avoid harm or impropriety.

What is the narrative situation?

During his search, Hanuman has seen sleeping women in the inner quarters and worries about the ethical implications of such viewing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Conscience and ethical sensitivity—Hanuman evaluates his own conduct, not merely the outcome.