Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 51, Shloka 2

हनूमदुपदेशः रावणस्य च कोपः

Hanuman’s Counsel to Ravana and Ravana’s Wrath

Devanagari script

अहं सुग्रीवसंदेशादिह प्राप्तस्तवालयम्।राक्षसेन्द्र हरीशस्त्वां भ्राता कुशलमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ sugrīvasaṃdeśād iha prāptas tavālayam | rākṣasendra harīśas tvāṃ bhrātā kuśalam abravīt ||

Translation

Hỡi chúa tể La-sát, theo sứ điệp của Sugrīva, ta đã đến nơi cư ngụ của ngươi. Chúa loài khỉ—người như huynh đệ của ngươi—gửi lời thăm hỏi bình an đến ngươi.

Word by Word

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

• sugrīva-saṃdeśāt: from Sugrīva's message/order
• sugrīva-saṃdeśāt: Apādāna/Hetu (अपादान/Source-Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th), Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः; ablative: 'from/through Sugrīva's message'

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (here)

• prāptaḥ: have reached
• prāptaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta-participle; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; agrees with aham

• tava: your
• tava: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana

• ālayam: abode, residence
• ālayam: Gati-karma (गति-कर्म/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ālaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• rākṣasendra: O lord of demons
• rākṣasendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः

• harīśaḥ: lord of monkeys (Sugrīva)
• harīśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषः (lord of monkeys)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana

• bhrātā: brother (as)
• bhrātā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to harīśaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; appositional (as a brother/like a brother)

• kuśalam: well-being, greetings
• kuśalam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; object of abravīt

• abravīt: said, conveyed
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Context

"O lord of demons! I reached your realm here by the orders of Sugriva, lord of monkeys who is like your brother. He conveys his good wishes to you.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sugrīva
• Rāvaṇa
• Vānara-s (monkeys)
• Rākṣasa-s

FAQs

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

Even in conflict, dharma values proper protocol: a messenger speaks formally and truthfully before issuing warning or counsel.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān begins his address to Rāvaṇa in a diplomatic mode, presenting himself as an envoy bearing Sugrīva’s message.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya and nīti (statecraft): disciplined speech that follows envoy-conduct and sets a righteous tone.