Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 36

लङ्कादर्शनं तथा रात्रौ सूक्ष्मरूपेण प्रवेशोपायचिन्तनम्

Vision of Lanka and Strategy for Nocturnal Entry

Devanagari script

तां पुरीं तादृशीं दृष्ट्वा दुराधर्षां सुरासुरैः।हनुमान् चिन्तयामास विनिश्चित्य मुहुर्मुहुः।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ purīṃ tādṛśīṃ dṛṣṭvā durādharṣāṃ surāsuraiḥ | hanumān cintayāmāsa viniścitya muhur muhuḥ ||

Translation

Увидев тот город — столь неприступный, что ни боги, ни асуры не могли его взять, — Хануман снова и снова размышлял, взвешивая дело с твёрдой решимостью.

Word by Word

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of purīm)

• purīm: city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tādṛśīm: such/like that
• tādṛśīm: Karma-dharma (कर्मधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tādṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of purīm)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive)

• durādharṣām: unassailable
• durādharṣām: Karma-dharma (कर्मधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + ādharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक-तत्पुरुष (‘hard to assail’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of purīm)

• surāsuraiḥ: by gods and demons
• surāsuraiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (‘gods and demons’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• hanumān: Hanumān
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• cintayāmāsa: reflected
• cintayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cint (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• viniścitya: having ascertained/decided
• viniścitya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-ści (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive)

• muhuḥ: again
• muhuḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• muhuḥ: and again
• muhuḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhuḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (reduplicated for emphasis)

Context

'Looking at the city, unassailable even to gods and demons, Hanuman sighed again and again thinking:

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• Lanka (city)
• Suras (gods)
• Asuras (demons)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is responsible action: before acting, one must assess reality soberly and choose a course that protects the righteous mission from avoidable harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān has reached Laṅkā, observes its near-impregnable defenses, and pauses to deliberate on how to proceed with the search for Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudent discernment (viveka): Hanumān does not rush; he repeatedly evaluates the situation to align action with the larger dharmic goal.