Shloka 42

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

Devanagari script

अथवा न हि तस्यार्थो धर्मकामस्य धीमतः।।।।मया रामस्य राजर्षेर्भार्यया परमात्मनः।

Transliteration

athavā na hi tasyārtho dharmakāmasya dhīmataḥ | mayā rāmasya rājarṣer bhāryayā paramātmanaḥ ||

Translation

নহ’লে—ধৰ্ম-কামত নিষ্ঠাৱান বুদ্ধিমান ৰাজর্ষি পৰমাত্মা ৰামৰ এতিয়া মোৰ প্ৰতি কোনো চিন্তা নাই নেকি, যদিও মই তেওঁৰ পত্নী?

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: 'or else')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/of him)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्थः: purpose/interest
• अर्थः: Karta (कर्ता/subject; 'there is no purpose')
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्म-कामस्य: of the dharma-seeking one
• धर्म-कामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative; 'धर्मे कामः यस्य/धर्मकामः' as bahuvrīhi is also possible; here used as epithet); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तस्य इति विशेषणम्

• धीमतः: of the wise one
• धीमतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तस्य इति विशेषणम्

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करणम्/agent-instrument; 'by me')
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/of Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• राज-ऋषेः: of the royal sage
• राज-ऋषेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/genitive qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: 'राजा चासौ ऋषिः'; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; रामस्य विशेषणम्

• भार्यया: by (his) wife
• भार्यया: Karana (करणम्/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया, एकवचन; मया इति समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• परम-आत्मनः: of the supreme self
• परम-आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/genitive qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: 'परमश्चासौ आत्मा'; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; रामस्य विशेषणम्

Context

"Or that royal sage, wise Rama who always seeks dharma having become one with thesupreme spirit has no longer any interest in me?

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse turns on trust in Rāma’s dharma: a righteous person does not abandon rightful duty toward spouse; Sītā’s doubt highlights how dharma is expected to remain steady even under separation.

What is the narrative situation?

Imprisoned in Rāvaṇa’s Aśoka-grove, Sītā grieves and wonders whether Rāma still remembers and strives for her rescue.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharma-niṣṭhā (commitment to righteousness) and Sītā’s marital fidelity and emotional honesty in suffering.