Shloka 24

सीताहनूमद्भाषणम्

Sita Tests the Messenger; Hanuman Offers Reassurance

Devanagari script

अथवा नायमुन्मादो मोहोऽप्युन्मादलक्षणः।।।।सम्बुध्ये चाहमात्मानमियं चापि वनौकसम्।

Transliteration

athavā nāyam unmādo moho 'py unmādalakṣaṇaḥ | sambudhye cāham ātmānam iyaṃ cāpi vanaukasam ||

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഇതു ഉന്മാദമല്ല; ഉന്മാദലക്ഷണമുള്ള മോഹവും അല്ല. ഞാൻ എന്നെയും ഈ വനവാസിയെയും വ്യക്തമായി തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (indeclinable particle of alternative)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular) सर्वनाम

• उन्मादः: madness
• उन्मादः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: unmāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• मोहः: delusion
• मोहः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (indeclinable, 'also/even')

• उन्मादलक्षणः: having the mark of madness
• उन्मादलक्षणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjectival predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unmāda + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (unmādasya lakṣaṇam)

• सम्बुध्ये: I recognize/realize
• सम्बुध्ये: Kriya (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + √budh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present); उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person); एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् (Ātmanepada)

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative Singular)

• आत्मानम्: myself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Singular) सर्वनाम

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'also'

• वनौकसम्: the forest-dweller (vanara)
• वनौकसम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana + okas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vanasya okasī yasya/vanam okas asya) 'forest-dweller'

Context

"No, this cannot be insanity. nor even delusion. But I recognise this vanara well"!

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān (vanaukas)

FAQs

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

Dharma is returning to clarity (viveka) after doubt: Sītā stabilizes her mind and affirms conscious awareness, a prerequisite for truthful judgment.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā rejects the idea that she is hallucinating and asserts that she is lucid and able to recognize the visitor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Mental steadiness and composure under extreme stress—Sītā regains self-possession to evaluate reality.