Shloka 17

सीताहनूमद्भाषणम्

Sita Tests the Messenger; Hanuman Offers Reassurance

Devanagari script

अथवा नैतदेवं हि यन्मया परिशङ्कितम्।।।।मनसो हि मम प्रीतिरुत्पन्ना तव दर्शनात्।

Transliteration

athavā naitad eva hi yan mayā pariśaṅkitam | manaso hi mama prītir utpannā tava darśanāt ||

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഞാൻ സംശയിച്ചതുപോലെ ഇതല്ല; കാരണം നിന്നെ കണ്ടതുമാത്രത്തിൽ തന്നെ എന്റെ മനസ്സിൽ ആനന്ദഭരിതമായ പ്രീതി ഉദിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else; perhaps
• अथवा: सम्बन्ध/अव्यय (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: 'or else/maybe')

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: विशेष्य (Subject referent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter sg.: 'this')

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/so')

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/causal nuance)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative: 'that which')

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental sg.)

• परिशङ्कितम्: suspected
• परिशङ्कितम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-शङ्क् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'suspected'

• मनसः: of (my) mind
• मनसः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Neuter, Genitive sg.)

• हि: indeed
• हि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (Genitive sg.: 'my')

• प्रीतिः: joy; affection
• प्रीतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom. sg.)

• उत्पन्ना: has arisen
• उत्पन्ना: क्रिया/विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'arisen'

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (Genitive sg.: 'your')

• दर्शनात्: from your sight; because of seeing you
• दर्शनात्: अपादान (Apadana/Source-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative sg.: 'from/because of seeing')

Context

"May be my suspicion is not correct! Because I am experiencing pleasure in my mind in your presence.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān

FAQs

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

Dharma here is careful discernment: Sītā does not surrender to fear or assumption, but tests her own suspicion against inner evidence, moving toward truth (satya) through reflection.

What is the narrative situation?

In Aśoka-vana, Sītā encounters a vanara who speaks of Rāma; she wavers between suspicion (a demon’s trick) and hope, noting the unexpected joy his presence brings.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s viveka (discriminating judgment) and steadiness: she monitors her emotions and evaluates whether her doubt is justified.