Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 16

सीताहनूमद्भाषणम्

Sita Tests the Messenger; Hanuman Offers Reassurance

Devanagari script

उपवासकृशां दीनां कामरूप निशाचर।सन्तापयसि मां भूयस्सन्तप्तां तन्न शोभनम्।।।।

Transliteration

upavāsa-kṛśāṃ dīnāṃ kāma-rūpa niśācara |

santāpayasi māṃ bhūyaḥ santaptāṃ tan na śobhanam ||

Translation

يا سائرَ الليلِ المتقلّبَ الأشكالِ كما تشاء؛ إن تعذيبَك لي مرةً بعد مرة، وأنا بائسةٌ هزيلةٌ من الصيام، وقد أحرقتني الأحزان، ليس بمحمودٍ ولا لائق.

Word by Word

• उपवास-कृशाम्: emaciated by fasting
• उपवास-कृशाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपवासेन कृशा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Acc. sg.)

• दीनाम्: wretched; pitiable
• दीनाम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Acc. sg.)

• कामरूप: O shape-shifter
• कामरूप: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (कामं रूपं यस्य/यथा इच्छति तथा रूपं); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vocative sg.)

• निशाचर: O night-roamer
• निशाचर: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निशायां चरति); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vocative sg.)

• सन्तापयसि: you afflict; make suffer
• सन्तापयसि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-तप् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (Present, 2nd sg., causative: 'you cause to suffer')

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative sg.)

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb)

• सन्तप्ताम्: tormented; distressed
• सन्तप्ताम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-तप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Past participle used adjectivally, F Acc. sg.)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेष्य (Referent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter sg.)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• शोभनम्: proper; good
• शोभनम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

Context

"Oh! you are one who can assume any form at will. You are a night-stalker. It is not good for you to cause pain to me who is already emaciated through fasting, who is pitiable and who is already afflicted.

FAQs

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

The verse condemns cruelty toward the vulnerable; dharma demands restraint and compassion, not repeated harassment of one already suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā, weakened by fasting and sorrow, rebukes the visitor for intensifying her pain, suspecting him to be a shape-shifting aggressor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s moral courage and insistence on propriety—she names adharma as adharma despite her weakness.