Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 30, Shloka 11

हनुमता सीतासंवादोपायचिन्ता

Hanuman’s Deliberation on How to Address Sita

Devanagari script

निशाचरीणां प्रत्यक्षमनर्हं चाभिभाषितम्।कथन्नु खलु कर्तव्यमिदं कृच्छ्रगतो ह्यहम्।।।।

Transliteration

niśācarīṇāṃ pratyakṣamanarhaṃ cābhibhāṣitam |

kathannu khalu kartavyamidaṃ kṛcchragato hyaham || 5.30.11 ||

Translation

การกล่าวกับนางอย่างเปิดเผยต่อหน้าเหล่านางผู้ท่องราตรีนั้นไม่สมควร แล้วเราควรทำประการใดเล่า ในเมื่อเราตกอยู่ในความคับขันนี้

Word by Word

• निशाचरीणाम्: of the night-rangers (rākṣasīs)
• निशाचरीणाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रत्यक्षम्: in their presence, openly
• प्रत्यक्षम्: अधिकरण (Circumstantial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• अनर्हम्: improper
• अनर्हम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (qualifying abhibhāṣitam)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभिभाषितम्: speaking/addressing
• अभिभाषितम्: कर्ता (Karta; subject with predicate anarham)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• नु: indeed?
• नु: प्रश्न (Interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनय-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• खलु: surely
• खलु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/बल-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate; obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/obligation), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्ता (Karta; subject of kartavyam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रगतः: having fallen into difficulty
• कृच्छ्रगतः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृच्छ्र + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (कृच्छ्रे गतः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अहम्)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; emphasis)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Experiencer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

"I cannot talk to her in the presence of these night-roamers. How can I discharge my duty in this predicament?

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• rākṣasīs (niśācarīṇām)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes aucitya (propriety) and wise speech: even with good intentions, Hanumān refuses to act rashly when it could endanger Sītā or compromise the mission.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān must decide how to communicate with Sītā while rākṣasīs are watching, making direct conversation risky and inappropriate.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment): he weighs what is right and safe rather than acting impulsively.