Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 40

सीतासान्त्वनम् / Hanuman Consoles Sita with the News of Victory

Devanagari script

राजसंश्रयवश्यानांकुर्वतीनांपराज्ञया ।विधेयानां च दासीनांकःकुप्यद्वानरोत्तम ।।6.116.40।।

Transliteration

rājasaṃśraya-vaśyānāṃ kurvatīnāṃ parājñayā | vidheyānāṃ ca dāsīnāṃ kaḥ kupyed vānarottama ||6.116.40||

Translation

O pinakadakila sa mga vānara, sino ang magagalit sa mga aliping babae na nasa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ng hari at kumikilos lamang ayon sa utos ng iba, sapilitang sumusunod?

Word by Word

• rāja-saṃśraya-vaśyānām: of those dependent on the king's protection (and under control)
• rāja-saṃśraya-vaśyānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃśraya (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी) plural; tatpuruṣa chain: 'rājñaḥ saṃśraye' (rāja-saṃśraya) + 'tasya vaśyāḥ' (dependent on royal refuge); qualifies dāsīnām

• kurvatīnām: of those who do (act)
• kurvatīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), feminine, genitive (षष्ठी) plural; qualifies dāsīnām

• parājñayā: by another's order
• parājñayā: Karana (करण/instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para-ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, instrumental (तृतीया) singular; tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी sense) 'parā ājñā' = another's command

• vidheyānām: of the obedient
• vidheyānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidheya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी) plural; adjective qualifying dāsīnām

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• dāsīnām: of the maidservants
• dāsīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāsī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, genitive (षष्ठी) plural

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, masculine, nominative (प्रथमा) singular

• kupyēt: would be angry
• kupyēt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kup (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) singular, parasmaipada

• vānarottama: O best of monkeys
• vānarottama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, vocative (सम्बोधन) singular; karmadhāraya 'uttamaḥ vānaraḥ'

Context

"Foremost of Vanaras! Who will be angry? Being under the command of the king and being obedient maids, they did so according to king's order.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Hanuman
• Rākṣasī (female rākṣasas)
• King (implicit: Ravana’s authority)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes fairness in assigning blame: Sita argues one should not direct anger at subordinates compelled by a ruler’s command.

What is the narrative situation?

Sita responds to Hanuman’s request for permission to kill the rākṣasīs who guarded and threatened her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sita’s compassion and justice-mindedness—she distinguishes between principal guilt and coerced obedience.