Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 68

अभिज्ञानप्रदानम्

The Token of Recognition (Chūḍāmaṇi) and the Crow Episode Recalled

Devanagari script

रावणेनोपरुद्धां मां निकृत्य पापकर्मणा।त्रातुमर्हसि वीर त्वं पातालादिव कौशिकीम्।।5.38.68।।

Transliteration

rāvaṇenoparuddhāṃ māṃ nikṛtya pāpakarmaṇā |

trātum arhasi vīra tvaṃ pātālād iva kauśikīm ||5.38.68||

Translation

Held in confinement by Rāvaṇa, that sinner in deed, and wronged and humiliated—O hero, it is right that you rescue me, as Kauśikī was rescued from the underworld.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• vastra-gatam: kept in the cloth
• vastra-gatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (प्रातिपदिक; √gam धातोः क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘vastre gataṃ’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘cūḍāmaṇim’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• muktvā: having taken out
• muktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having released/taken out’

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• cūḍāmaṇim: the crest-jewel
• cūḍāmaṇim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cūḍāmaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘cūḍāmaṇim’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• pradeyaḥ: to be given
• pradeyaḥ: Vidhi (विधि/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + √dā (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्/तव्यत्-भाव्यकृदन्तः (gerundive): ‘to be given’ (elliptic: ‘ayam maṇiḥ pradeyaḥ’)

• rāghavāya: to Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदानम्

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (इति-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• sītā: Sita
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hanumate: to Hanuman
• hanumate: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदानम्

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; ‘gave’

Context

"I will hold on to life only for a month. Beyond, I will not survive. I swear by truth. You may tell this to Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Pātāla
• Kauśikī
• Hanumān

FAQs

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

The kṣatriya-duty of protection and justice: rescuing the oppressed from unlawful captivity is presented as a righteous obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā describes her captivity under Rāvaṇa’s wrongdoing and urges that Rāma rescue her, using a traditional comparison (Kauśikī rescued from Pātāla).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s protective righteousness (dharma of a hero-king), and Sītā’s steadfast appeal grounded in justice.