Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 30, Shloka 44

हनुमता सीतासंवादोपायचिन्ता

Hanuman’s Deliberation on How to Address Sita

Devanagari script

इति स बहुविधं महानुभावोजगतिपतेः प्रमदामवेक्षमाणः।मधुरमवितथं जगाद वाक्यंद्रुमविटपान्तरमास्थितो हनूमान्।।।।

Transliteration

iti sa bahuvidhaṃ mahānubhāvo jagatipateḥ pramadām avekṣamāṇaḥ |

madhuram avitathaṃ jagāda vākyaṃ drumaviṭapāntaram āsthito hanūmān ||

Translation

Demikianlah Hanumān yang berhati agung, bertempat di celah dahan-dahan pohon sambil memandang permaisuri kekasih Tuhan semesta, mengucapkan kata-kata yang manis lagi tidak menyimpang dari kebenaran, memuji Baginda dengan pelbagai cara.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): ‘thus’

• bahuvidhām: manifold
• bahuvidhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahuvidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘bahuḥ vidhaḥ’

• cintām: thought/anxiety
• cintām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• cintayitvā: having reflected
• cintayitvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्तायाम्) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having thought’

• mahākapiḥ: the great monkey (Hanuman)
• mahākapiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kapi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘mahān kapiḥ’

• saṃśrave: within hearing
• saṃśrave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśrava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); sense: ‘in (her) hearing/within earshot’

• madhuram: sweet
• madhuram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vākyam: speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vaidehyāḥ: of Vaidehī (Sītā)
• vaidehyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vyājahāra: spoke/uttered
• vyājahāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ā-√hṛ (हृ हरणे/वचने; idiom ‘to utter’) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथम), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

Context

"If I should return to Kishkindha without reassuring Sita, whose understanding has been clouded in grief I would be blamed.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Rāma (as jagatipati)

FAQs

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

Ideal communication unites madhura (gentleness) with avitatha (truth). Dharma is upheld when truth is conveyed without cruelty and with compassionate intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Hidden among the tree branches in Aśoka-vana, Hanumān begins speaking—truthfully and sweetly—while looking at Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthfulness) combined with karuṇā (compassionate gentleness), showing Hanumān’s mastery of both ethics and tact.