Valmiki Ramayana 5.5.25 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 25

चन्द्रप्रकाशे लङ्कानिरीक्षणम्

Moonlit Survey of Lanka and the Unfound Sita

Devanagari script

उष्णार्दितां सानुसृतास्रकण्ठीम् पुरा वरार्होत्तमनिष्ककण्ठीम्।सुजातपक्ष्मामभिरक्तकण्ठीं वनेऽप्रवृत्तामिव नीलकण्ठीम्।।5.5.25।।

Transliteration

uṣṇārditāṃ sānusṛtāsra-kaṇṭhīṃ purā varārhottama-niṣka-kaṇṭhīm | sujāta-pakṣmām abhirakta-kaṇṭhīṃ vane ’pravṛttām iva nīlakaṇṭhīm ||5.5.25||

Translation

He pictured her now, scorched by sorrow, her throat choked by ceaseless tears—she who once wore the finest and most precious neck-ornaments; with lovely lashes and a sweet, affectionate voice, like a peahen wandering in the forest.

Word by Word

• uṣṇa-arditām: heat-afflicted
• uṣṇa-arditām: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ardita (कृदन्त; √ard (अर्द्) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; ‘afflicted by heat’

• sā-anusṛta-asra-kaṇṭhīm: with throat choked by flowing tears
• sā-anusṛta-asra-kaṇṭhīm: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + anusṛta (कृदन्त; √sṛ (सृ) + anu + क्त) + asra (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘whose throat (kaṇṭhī) is with tears that have flowed continuously’

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/earlier)

• vara-arha-uttama-niṣka-kaṇṭhīm: wearing finest worthy neck-ornaments
• vara-arha-uttama-niṣka-kaṇṭhīm: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + arha (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣka (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘she whose neck bears excellent ornaments worthy of the best’

• su-jāta-pakṣmām: with beautiful eyelashes
• su-jāta-pakṣmām: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + jāta (कृदन्त; √jan (जन्) + क्त) + pakṣman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘having well-formed eyelashes’

• abhirakta-kaṇṭhīm: sweet-voiced
• abhirakta-kaṇṭhīm: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhirakta (कृदन्त; √rañj (रञ्ज्) + abhi + क्त) + kaṇṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘having a loving/sweet voice (throat)’

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• apravṛttām: not moving/ceased
• apravṛttām: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apravṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt (वृत्) + a + pra + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘not moving/ceased from activity; not roaming’ (PPP)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय

• nīla-kaṇṭhīm: a peahen
• nīla-kaṇṭhīm: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; ‘blue-necked (peahen)’

Context

She whose neck was adorned with costly ornaments earlier must be shedding hot tears now, her throat choked with grief. With her beautiful eyelashes and a sweet loving voice, she would be now like a pea-hen wandering in the woods.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as compassionate responsibility: Hanumān’s moral sensitivity to Sītā’s suffering strengthens his resolve to serve truth and righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Still not finding Sītā, Hanumān imagines her present condition—stripped of former splendor and overwhelmed by grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and service-mindedness in Hanumān—he internalizes another’s pain as a call to action.