Shloka 16

विन्ध्यगुहाविचयः — Searching the Vindhya Caves and the Cursed Forest

Southern Search

Devanagari script

तत्र चापि महात्मानो नापश्यञ्जनकात्मजाम्।हर्तारं रावणं वापि सुग्रीवप्रियकारिणः।।।।

Transliteration

tatra cāpi mahātmāno nāpaśyan janakātmajām | hartāraṃ rāvaṇaṃ vāpi sugrīvapriyakāriṇaḥ || 4.48.16 ||

Translation

ومع ذلك، حتى هناك لم يرَ أولئك العظامُ الهمم—الذين قصدوا إرضاء سُغْرِيفا—ابنةَ جَنَكَ، ولم يجدوا رافَنا خاطفَها.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: also/even)

• महात्मानः: great-souled ones
• महात्मानः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (महान् आत्मा येषां ते)

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अपश्यन्: they saw
• अपश्यन्: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they saw’ (with negation: did not see)

• जनक-आत्मजाम्: Janaka's daughter (Sita)
• जनक-आत्मजाम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जनकस्य आत्मजा)

• हर्तारम्: the abductor
• हर्तारम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle: or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (also)

• सुग्रीव-प्रिय-कारिणः: doers of what pleases Sugriva
• सुग्रीव-प्रिय-कारिणः: कर्ता-विशेषण (apposition to महात्मानः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सुग्रीवस्य प्रियं कुर्वन्ति)

Context

Eager to please Sugriva, the great souls searched in the forest region. Even there they could not find Janaka's daughter and also Ravana who had abducted Sita.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Janakātmajā)
• Rāvaṇa
• Sugrīva

FAQs

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

Dharma includes honest recognition of results: despite sincere effort, they do not claim success; truthfulness about failure is part of righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

After searching the cursed and difficult region, the party still finds neither Sītā nor Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Loyalty and sincerity in service (bhakti to the mission), coupled with satya (truthful reporting by implication).