Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 4.26
॥
Devanāgarī
सीतां दृष्ट्वाऽसुरान्हत्वा पुरं दग्ध्वा तथा स्वयम् । आगत्य रामेण सह न्यवेदयत तत्त्वतः
Transliteration (IAST)
sītāṃ dṛṣṭvā'surānhatvā puraṃ dagdhvā tathā svayam | āgatya rāmeṇa saha nyavedayata tattvataḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सीताम् दृष्ट्वा असुरान् हत्वाsītām dṛṣṭvā asurān hatvāhaving seen Sītā, slain the demons; having beheld Sītā, struck down the asuras
पुरम् दग्ध्वा तथा स्वयम्puram dagdhvā tathā svayamand burnt the city, himself; having burnt the capital, he himself
आगत्य रामेण सहāgatya rāmeṇa sahahaving returned, together with Rāma; having come back, in Rāma's presence
न्यवेदयत तत्त्वतःnyavedayata tattvataḥhe reported it as it was; he told it as it truly was
Translation
Having seen Sītā, slain the demons and burnt the city, he himself returned and told it all before Rāma as it was.
Version
22514eecdcab · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
All that Hanumān does on Laṅkā is packed into four gerunds: saw, slew, burnt, returned.
The last word is tattvataḥ, “as it truly was”. It deserves a pause.
The tradition remembers in what state he found Sītā: under the aśoka tree, amid the rākṣasīs guarding her, wasted and resolved to die. And this he must retell to her husband.
It is said: “as it was”. He did not soften it.
In this word is the measure of service the book sets for a bhakta. To serve does not mean to console with comfortable news. Hanumān brought the truth, and the truth was heavy.
Note also the word svayam, “himself”. He returned himself — that is, having done everything alone and lost no one.
The next verse will begin the tale's last part: Rāma's wrath and the campaign.