Shloka 69

रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च

Hanuman’s Circuit of Ravana’s Palace and the Crisis of Deliberation

Devanagari script

क्षुद्रेण पापेन नृशंसकर्मणा सुदारुणालङ्कृतवेषधारिणा।बलाभिभूता ह्यबला तपस्विनी कथं नु मे दृष्टिपथेऽद्य सा भवेत्।।।।

Transliteration

kṣudreṇa pāpena nṛśaṃsa-karmaṇā sudāruṇālaṅkṛta-veṣa-dhāriṇā | balābhibhūtā hy abalā tapasvinī kathaṃ nu me dṛṣṭi-pathe 'dya sā bhavet ||

Translation

அந்த இழிந்த பாவி, கொடுஞ்செயல் புரிபவன், பயங்கர அலங்காரங்களுடன் வேடம் தரித்தவன்—அவனது வலிமையால் அடக்கப்பட்ட அந்த பலவீனத் தபஸ்வினி, இன்று என் பார்வை எல்லைக்குள் எவ்வாறு வருவாள்?

Word by Word

• क्षुद्रेण: by a mean / vile (act/thing)
• क्षुद्रेण: करणम् (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, neuter; agreeing with पापेन)

• पापेन: by sin / by a sinful deed
• पापेन: करणम् (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, neuter)

• नृशंसकर्मणा: by (one) of cruel deeds / by a cruel act
• नृशंसकर्मणा: करणम् (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिके) → नृशंसकर्मन् (समासः)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृशंसस्य कर्म) इति; नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, neuter; agreeing with पापेन)

• सुदारुणालङ्कृतवेषधारिणा: by one wearing a very dreadful, adorned disguise
• सुदारुणालङ्कृतवेषधारिणा: करणम् (Instrument) / कर्तृ-निर्देशः (agent indicated by instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दारुण + अलङ्कृत + वेष + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिकानि) → सुदारुणालङ्कृतवेषधारिन् (समासः)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समासः (सुदारुणेन अलङ्कृतः वेषः यस्य सः / वेषं धारयति इति); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine; agent implied—by the one who wears such a guise)

• बलाभिभूता: overpowered (by force)
• बलाभिभूता: कर्मणि-भावः (patient/state); करण-सम्बन्धः ‘बल’ (by force)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + √भू (भू धातुः) + क्त (कृदन्तः) → अभिभूत; बल (प्रातिपदिकम्) (उपपद-सम्बन्धः)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकृदन्तम् (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, feminine; agreeing with तपस्विनी/सा); ‘बल’ इति तृतीया-अर्थे (by force) उपपद-सम्बन्धः

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: सम्बन्ध-बोधकः (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्ययम्)
• Form: निपातः/अव्ययम् (particle; emphatic/causal nuance: indeed/for)

• अबला: weak / powerless
• अबला: कर्तृ/आश्रयः (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + बल (प्रातिपदिकम्) → अबल (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष-भावः (negation: without strength); स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, feminine; qualifying तपस्विनी/सा)

• तपस्विनी: the ascetic lady / suffering virtuous woman
• तपस्विनी: कर्ता/आश्रयः (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, feminine)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रकार-प्रश्नः (manner question)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्ययम्)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्ययम् (interrogative adverb)

• नु: indeed? / I wonder
• नु: सम्बन्ध-बोधकः (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्ययम्)
• Form: प्रश्न-निपातः (interrogative particle; adds emphasis/uncertainty)

• मे: my / of me
• मे: सम्बन्धः (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Genitive singular; enclitic form)

• दृष्टिपथे: in (my) line/range of sight
• दृष्टिपथे: अधिकरणम् (Location/Range)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्टि + पथ (प्रातिपदिके) → दृष्टिपथ (समासः)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दृष्टेः पथः); पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Locative singular, masculine)

• अद्य: today / now
• अद्य: कालाधिकरणम् (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्ययम्)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• सा: she / that (woman)
• सा: कर्ता/आश्रयः (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, feminine)

• भवेत्: might be / could appear / may come to be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भू धातुः)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (Optative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

Context

"How will I set my eyes on that gentle, frail and suffering thing now, who has been abducted by that mean, cruel sinner of dreadful look?"ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে সুন্দরকাণ্ডে ত্রযোদশস্সর্গঃ৷Thus ends the thirteenth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts dharma and adharma: Sītā’s chastity and spiritual endurance (tapasvinī) stand against Rāvaṇa’s sinful coercion, highlighting that unrighteous force cannot create rightful possession.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān, still unable to locate Sītā, reflects that she is held by Rāvaṇa through violence and intimidation, and wonders how she could appear before him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate vigilance—Hanumān’s concern for Sītā’s vulnerability and his moral clarity in naming Rāvaṇa’s conduct as cruel and sinful.