Valmiki Ramayana 5.12.5 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 5

द्वादशः सर्गः — हनूमतः अन्तःपुरविचयः

Hanuman’s Search Through Ravana’s Inner Apartments

Devanagari script

सीतामदृष्ट्वा ह्यनवाप्य पौरुषंविहृत्य कालं सह वानरैश्चिरम्।न मेऽस्ति सुग्रीवसमीपगा गतिःसुतीक्ष्णदण्डो बलवांश्च वानरः।।।।

Transliteration

sītām adṛṣṭvā hy anavāpya pauruṣaṃ vihṛtya kālaṃ saha vānaraiś ciram |

na me 'sti sugrīvasamīpagā gatiḥ sutīkṣṇadaṇḍo balavāṃś ca vānaraḥ ||

Translation

ਜੇ ਮੈਂ ਸੀਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖੇ ਬਿਨਾਂ—ਪੌਰੁਸ਼ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣ ਲਏ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਅਤੇ ਵਾਨਰਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਲੰਮਾ ਸਮਾਂ ਗੁਜ਼ਾਰ ਕੇ—ਵਾਪਸ ਆ ਗਿਆ, ਤਾਂ ਸੁਗਰੀਵ ਦੇ ਨੇੜੇ ਜਾਣ ਦੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ ਕੋਈ ਗਤੀ ਨਹੀਂ; ਉਹ ਬਲਵਾਨ ਵਾਨਰ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬਹੁਤ ਕਠੋਰ ਦੰਡ ਦੇਵੇਗਾ।

Word by Word

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• adṛṣṭvā: without seeing
• adṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा) with negation a-
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वान्त), 'without seeing'

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात), emphatic/causal particle

• anavāpya: without attaining
• anavāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-āp (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्) with negation an-
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्), 'without obtaining/achieving'

• pauruṣam: manly achievement/valor (success)
• pauruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pauruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of 'anavāpya'

• vihṛtya: having spent
• vihṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-hṛ (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Gerund (ल्यप्), 'having spent (time)/having roamed'

• kālam: time
• kālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of 'vihṛtya'

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक) (association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Upasarga-like indeclinable used with instrumental (तृतीया) meaning 'together with'

• vānaraiḥ: with the monkeys
• vānaraiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक) / Karaṇa (करण) (companionship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (तृतीया/Case 3), Bahuvacana

• ciram: for long
• ciram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa-avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय) 'for a long time'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (negation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Pratiṣedha-nipāta (प्रतिषेध-निपात) negation

• me: for me/to me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (possessor/relational)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (षष्ठी/Case 6) or Dative-like genitive, Ekavacana; enclitic form

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (लट्/Present), Prathama puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd), Ekavacana; with 'na' → 'is not'

• sugrīva-samīpa-gā: leading to Sugriva's presence
• sugrīva-samīpa-gā: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of subject 'gatiḥ')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sugrīva + samīpa + gam (गम् धातु) → gā (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधारित विशेषण)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa to 'gatiḥ'; gā = 'going to/leading to'

• gatiḥ: way/return
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject of 'asti'

• sutīkṣṇa-daṇḍaḥ: with very sharp punishment (severe punisher)
• sutīkṣṇa-daṇḍaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-tīkṣṇa + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa to 'vānaraḥ'

• balavān: powerful
• balavān: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa to 'vānaraḥ'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय) conjunction

• vānaraḥ: the monkey (I, Hanuman)
• vānaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate/subject in implied clause (Hanuman speaking of himself as vānara)

Context

'I have spent a long time with vanaras. I have not succeded in my efforts to find Sita. I dare not see Sugriva now without finding Sita and without fulfilling my task. Sugriva will punish me severely. There is no way out.'

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Sugriva
• Vanaras

FAQs

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

Dharma is accountability in service: a messenger must complete the entrusted task truthfully (satya) and effectively, and must accept responsibility for failure rather than offer excuses.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman fears returning to Sugrīva empty-handed after a long search, anticipating strict consequences for failing the mission.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sense of duty and responsibility—Hanuman measures himself by results, not by time spent.