Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 22

सप्तदशः सर्गः

Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

चन्द्ररेखां पयोदान्ते शारदाभ्रैरिवावृताम्।।।।क्लिष्टरूपामसंस्पर्शादयुक्तामिव वल्लकीम्।

Transliteration

candrarēkhāṃ payōdānte śāradābhrair ivāvṛtām |

kliṣṭarūpām asaṃsparśād ayuktām iva vallakīm ||5.17.22||

Translation

She was like the moon’s slender crescent veiled by autumn clouds at the end of the rains. Worn and faint from being untouched by her husband’s presence, she resembled a lute left unused, its harmony diminished.

Word by Word

• चन्द्ररेखाम्: crescent-moon line
• चन्द्ररेखाम्: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान) (implied with इव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: चन्द्रस्य रेखा

• पयोदान्ते: at the end of the rainy season
• पयोदान्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयोध (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: पयोधस्य अन्ते (rainy-season's end)

• शारदाभ्रैः: by autumn clouds
• शारदाभ्रैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण) with आवृताम्
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारद (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: शारदानि अभ्राणि

• इव: as if/like
• इव: उपमावाचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• आवृताम्: covered
• आवृताम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + वृ (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle): आवृता

• क्लिष्टरूपाम्: of a distressed/wan form
• क्लिष्टरूपाम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिष्ट (कृदन्त; धातु क्लिश्) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: क्लिष्टं रूपं यस्याः सा

• असंस्पर्शात्: from lack of touch (being unused)
• असंस्पर्शात्: हेतु/अपादान (cause/ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + संस्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; नञ्-समास: असंस्पर्शः; कारणार्थे पञ्चमी

• अयुक्ताम्: unused
• अयुक्ताम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त/निष्ठा with negation: अयुक्ता = not employed/unused

• इव: like
• इव: उपमावाचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• वल्लकीम्: a lute/vina
• वल्लकीम्: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्लकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

She appeared like a streak (crescent) of Moon covered by autumnal clouds at the close of the rainy season. She looked haggard since she was out of contact with her husband- an unused lute with its strings let loose.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (implied)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the dharmic bond of marriage: separation inflicted by adharma causes deep suffering, yet Sītā’s truthfulness and fidelity remain unbroken.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān contemplates Sītā’s fragile condition and expresses it through layered similes (crescent moon; unused lute).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfast love and purity—enduring absence without moral compromise.