Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 20
रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च
Hanuman’s Circuit of Ravana’s Palace and the Crisis of Deliberation
यदि सीतामदृष्ट्वाऽहं वानरेन्द्रपुरीमितः।।।।गमिष्यामि ततः को मे पुरुषार्थो भविष्यति।
yadi sītām adṛṣṭvāhaṃ vānarendra-purīm itaḥ | gamiṣyāmi tataḥ ko me puruṣārtho bhaviṣyati ||
Jika aku pergi dari sini ke kota raja Vānara tanpa melihat Sītā, maka apakah lagi erti jasa dan pencapaianku?
"If I return to Kishkinda without seeing Sita of what use is my effort? What have I accomplished? What will happen? (Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha are the four Purusharthas or accomplishments in life)
FAQs
Dharma as accountability: effort gains moral meaning when it fulfills the entrusted purpose; returning without verified truth about Sītā would fail the duty owed to Rāma and the Vānara alliance.
Hanumān worries that returning to Kiṣkindhā without finding Sītā would render his mission meaningless.
Sense of responsibility—Hanumān measures success by service to the mission, not by personal survival or comfort.