Shloka 16

रावण-प्रहस्त-हनूमद्वार्ता

Ravana and Prahasta Question Hanuman

Devanagari script

अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि।।।।पितामहादेष वरो मामाप्येषोऽभ्युपागतः।

Transliteration

astrapāśair na śakyo ’haṃ baddhuṃ devāsurair api |

pitāmahād eṣa varo mām apy eṣo ’bhyupāgataḥ |

Translation

“Dẫu chư deva và asura cũng không thể dùng dây trói của các astra mà trói buộc ta. Nhờ ân huệ ấy—do Pitāmaha, tức Phạm Thiên (Brahmā), ban cho—ta cũng được như vậy.”

Word by Word

• astra-pāśaiḥ: by weapon-bonds
• astra-pāśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक) + pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; तत्पुरुषः (nooses/bonds of weapons)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रत्याख्यान/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle

• śakyaḥ: possible (to be)
• śakyaḥ: Predicative to aham (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक; √śak + yat)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; potential/passive adjective (able/possible)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• baddhum: to bind
• baddhum: Karma-pravacaniya/Complement (क्रिया-पूर्ति)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bandh (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-anta (infinitive), 'to bind'

• deva-asuraiḥ: by gods and asuras
• deva-asuraiḥ: Kartṛ (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (gods and asuras)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (even/also)

• pitāmahāt: from the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• pitāmahāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana (ablative: from Brahmā)

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa of varaḥ (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; demonstrative

• varaḥ: boon
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• api: also
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (also)

• eṣaḥ: this (boon)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; refers to varaḥ

• abhyupāgataḥ: has been obtained/granted
• abhyupāgataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-upa-√gam (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta-participle used predicatively; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana (has come/has been granted)

Context

"Wishing to see the king I honoured this astra and not otherwise. Even though I was tormented by the ogres and released by the astra I submitted to you as I have a small work assigned by the king.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāvaṇa
• Devas
• Asuras
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

FAQs

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

Power is subordinated to dharma: Hanumān acknowledges divine order (Brahmā’s boon) rather than claiming mere personal superiority.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān explains that binding him by weapon-fetters is futile due to a boon, clarifying why capture by force is ineffective.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and authority—he states facts about his protections without panic or pleading.