Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 60, Shloka 17

षष्टितमः सर्गः — Kausalyā’s Lament and Sumantra’s Consolation

Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life

Devanagari script

सदृशं शतपत्रस्य पूर्णचन्द्रोपमप्रभम्।वदनं तद्वदान्याया वैदेह्या न विकम्पते।।।।

Transliteration

sadṛśaṃ śatapatrasya pūrṇacandropama-prabham |

vadanaṃ tad-vadānyāyā vaidehyā na vikampate ||

Translation

Vaidehī’s face—of that gracious lady—shines like a full moon and resembles a hundred-petalled lotus; it does not waver or wither.

Word by Word

• sadṛśam: similar
• sadṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective agreeing with 'vadanam'

• śatapatrasya: of the hundred-petalled lotus
• śatapatrasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatapatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular; compound: śata + patra = 'hundred-petalled (lotus)'

• pūrṇacandropamaprabham: having splendour like the full moon
• pūrṇacandropamaprabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa-candra-upama-prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective agreeing with 'vadanam'; internal relation: pūrṇacandra-upama (like the full moon) + prabha (splendour)

• vadanam: face, countenance
• vadanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular; subject of 'vikampate'

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative used with 'vadanam'

• vadānyāyāḥ: of the munificent one
• vadānyāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadānyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular; qualifying 'vaidehyāḥ'

• vaidehyāḥ: of Vaidehī (Sītā)
• vaidehyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular; possessor of 'vadanam'

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• vikampate: trembles, wavers
• vikampate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√kamp (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Context

Just like the beams of the Moon, Sita's glow is not affected by the fatigue of the journey or by the speed of the wind or by the scorching heat.

Characters & Entities

• Sita (Vaidehi)
• Lotus (śatapatra)
• Full moon

FAQs

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

The verse connects dharma with inner nobility: a righteous person’s steadiness and generosity manifest outwardly as calmness and clarity even under stress.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra continues describing Sītā’s unchanged composure and beauty on the road, to ease Kausalyā’s fear for her welfare.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Grace and munificence (vadānyatā) together with emotional steadiness.