Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 26

सप्तदशः सर्गः

Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

मलिनेन तु वस्त्रेण परिक्लिष्टेन भामिनीम्।।।।संवृतां मृगशाबाक्षीं ददर्श हनुमान् कपिः।तां देवीं दीनवदनामदीनां भर्तृतेजसा।।।।रक्षितां स्वेन शीलेन सीतामसितलोचनाम्।

Transliteration

malinena tu vastreṇa parikliṣṭena bhāminīm | saṃvṛtāṃ mṛgaśābākṣīṃ dadarśa hanumān kapiḥ || 5.17.26 ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, Hánumān—vị khỉ thần—trông thấy người mỹ nữ mắt như nai con, thân phủ tấm y phục dơ bẩn, rách mòn và tả tơi.

Word by Word

• tām: her/that (lady)
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; referring to maithilīm/sītām

• kṣamām: forbearing
• kṣamām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'forbearing'; qualifying maithilīm

• su-vibhakta-aṅgī: well-proportioned-limbed
• su-vibhakta-aṅgī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग) + vibhakta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'having well-proportioned limbs'; qualifying maithilīm

• vinā-ābharaṇa-śobhinīm: shining without ornaments
• vinā-ābharaṇa-śobhinīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinā (अव्यय) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + śobhinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'shining even without ornaments'; qualifying maithilīm

• praharṣam: joy
• praharṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of lebhe

• atulam: immeasurable
• atulam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying praharṣam

• lebhe: obtained/felt
• lebhe: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 'obtained/felt'

• mārutiḥ: Maruti (Hanuman)
• mārutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject

• prekṣya: having seen
• prekṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra- (उपसर्ग) + īkṣ (धातु) → prekṣya (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); 'having seen/observed'

• maithilīm: Maithili (Sita)
• maithilīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of prekṣya; apposition to tām

Context

Hanuman saw the fawneyed lady clad in crushed and soiled clothes with a pathetic face. She felt no dejection when she thought of her husband's prowess. The blackeyed beauty was protected by her own chastity.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds empathy toward the oppressed: dharma requires recognizing suffering and responding with compassionate duty, which motivates Hanumān’s mission.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān’s search culminates in a direct sighting of Sītā, confirming her hardship through her clothing and appearance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s attentive compassion and resolve; Sītā’s quiet endurance is implied.