Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 26, Shloka 31

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

Devanagari script

नूनं राक्षसकन्यानां रुदन्तीनां गृहे गृहे।श्रोष्यामि नचिरादेव दुःखार्तानामिह ध्वनिम्।।।।

Transliteration

nūnaṃ rākṣasakanyānāṃ rudantīnāṃ gṛhe gṛhe |

śroṣyāmi nacirādeva duḥkhārtānām iha dhvanim ||

Translation

Surely, very soon I shall hear here—in house after house—the sounds of the rākṣasa maidens crying out in distress.

Word by Word

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; sentence adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverb); निश्चयार्थे (certainly)

• राक्षसकन्यानाम्: of the rākṣasa maidens
• राक्षसकन्यानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa-kanyā (प्रातिपदिक; राक्षस + कन्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (of the demon-maidens)

• रुदन्तीनाम्: of (those) crying
• रुदन्तीनाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rud (धातु) + śatṛ/śānac?; रुदन्ती (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying राक्षसकन्यानाम्)

• गृहे: in a house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (location)

• गृहे: in (each) house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (gṛhe gṛhe = in every house)

• श्रोष्यामि: I will hear
• श्रोष्यामि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नचिरात्: before long
• नचिरात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; time adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na-cira (प्रातिपदिक; न + चिर)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb) = अल्पकालात् (in a short time)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; emphatic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle); अवधारणार्थे (emphasis/indeed)

• दुःखार्तानाम्: of the grief-stricken
• दुःखार्तानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha-ārta (प्रातिपदिक; दुःख + आर्त)
• Form: बहुव्रीह्यर्थे न, तत्पुरुष (दुःखेन आर्त = distressed by sorrow); पुं/स्त्री (context: women), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying implied persons, esp. rākṣasakanyāḥ)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्; deictic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); देशवाचक (here)

• ध्वनिम्: sound/cry
• ध्वनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvani (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object of श्रोष्यामि)

Context

"I shall surely hear very soon sounds of distressful cry of young ogresses in every household.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā (implied)

FAQs

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

Collective complicity in adharma spreads suffering beyond the principal offender; households share the consequences of unjust aggression.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā anticipates the grief that will soon fill Laṅkā’s homes as the rākṣasas face destruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast hope joined with moral certainty: Sītā endures present sorrow while remaining sure of dharma’s victory.