Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 55, Shloka 17

लङ्कादाहानन्तरचिन्ता

Hanuman’s Post-Conflagration Self-Examination and Assurance of Sita’s Safety

Devanagari script

विनष्टायां तु सीतायां तावुभौ विनशिष्यतः।तयोर्विनाशे सुग्रीवः सबन्धुर्विनशिष्यति।।।।

Transliteration

vinaṣṭāyāṁ tu sītāyāṁ tāv ubhau vinaśiṣyataḥ | tayoḥ vināśe sugrīvaḥ sa-bandhur vinaśiṣyati ||

Translation

Jika Sītā binasa, maka kedua-dua baginda (Rāma dan Lakṣmaṇa) pasti binasa; dan dengan kebinasaan mereka, Sugrīva beserta kaum kerabatnya juga akan musnah.

Word by Word

• vinaṣṭāyām: when (she is) destroyed
• vinaṣṭāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√naś (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta PPP (क्त); Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; absolute-locative with 'sītāyām'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle; contrast/emphasis

• sītāyām: when Sita (is)
• sītāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular; locative absolute

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual; qualifying 'tau'

• vinaśiṣyataḥ: will perish
• vinaśiṣyataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√naś (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (periphrastic future); 3rd person, Dual; 'will perish'

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Genitive, Dual

• vināśe: in (their) destruction
• vināśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular; 'in/at (their) destruction'

• sugrīvaḥ: Sugriva
• sugrīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sa-bandhuḥ: with (his) kinsmen
• sa-bandhuḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: saḥ bandhubhiḥ saha/sa-bandhuḥ; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying 'sugrīvaḥ'

• vinaśiṣyati: will perish
• vinaśiṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√naś (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (periphrastic future); 3rd person, Singular

Context

'How will the loving righteous brother, Bharata along with Satrughna survive after hearing this?

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responsibility for cascading consequences: failure in one’s entrusted duty can bring suffering to many, not only oneself.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān imagines the catastrophic outcome if Sītā were harmed in the fire—Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa’s collapse, followed by political and familial ruin for Sugrīva.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Foresight and accountability—Hanumān measures his act against its wider impact on allies and the mission.