Shloka 18

रावणभवनपरिक्रमणं हनूमतः शोकविचारश्च

Hanuman’s Circuit of Ravana’s Palace and the Crisis of Deliberation

Devanagari script

निवेद्यमाने दोषस्स्याद्दोषस्स्यादनिवेदने।।।।कथं नु खलु कर्तव्यं विषमं प्रतिभाति मे।

Transliteration

nivedyamāne doṣaḥ syād doṣaḥ syād anivedane | kathaṃ nu khalu kartavyaṃ viṣamaṃ pratibhāti me ||

Translation

若我禀告，或有过失；若不禀告，也或有过失。我究竟该如何行事？此局在我看来艰险万分。

Word by Word

• निवेद्यमाने: when informing
• निवेद्यमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्मणि कृदन्त (शानच्), सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative absolute ‘when (it is) being reported’

• दोषः: fault
• दोषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; optative ‘may be’

• दोषः: fault
• दोषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अनिवेदने: in not informing
• अनिवेदने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-निवेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular ‘in non-reporting’

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• नु: indeed/then
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• खलु: surely/indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुस्मारक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: what should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म/कार्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भावे/कर्मणि कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; gerundive ‘to be done/what should be done’

• विषमम्: difficult/uneven
• विषमम्: Karma (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• प्रतिभाति: appears/seems
• प्रतिभाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present indicative, parasmaipada

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (enclitic); here dative sense ‘to me’

Context

"I wonder what the right course of action is when things have taken such a turn? What is proper for me to do? Hanuman once again deliberated.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rāma (implied as recipient of report)

FAQs

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

Dharma involves discerning right action when duties conflict: satya (truth-telling) must be balanced with ahimsā (non-harm) and responsibility, especially under uncertainty.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān is torn between informing Rāma of failure (or grim possibilities) and withholding it, fearing wrongdoing in either choice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral discernment—Hanumān actively evaluates consequences rather than acting impulsively.