Shloka 1

सीतावियोगे रामस्य विलापः

Rama’s Lament and Inquiry on Sita’s Disappearance

Devanagari script

स दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणं दीनं शून्ये दशरथात्मजः।पर्यपृच्छत धर्मात्मा वैदेहीमागतं विना।।।।

Transliteration

sa dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇaṃ dīnaṃ śūnye daśarathātmajaḥ | paryapṛcchata dharmātmā vaidehīm āgataṃ vinā ||

Translation

Als der Sohn Daśarathas Lakṣmaṇa niedergeschlagen an dem verödeten Ort sah, befragte ihn der rechtschaffene Rāma, da er ohne Vaidehī (Sītā) zurückgekehrt war.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• लक्ष्मणम्: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘seeing’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दीनम्: dejected
• दीनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लक्ष्मणम्)

• शून्ये: in a desolate/empty state
• शून्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (locative of state/place)

• दशरथात्मजः: son of Dasharatha
• दशरथात्मजः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘दशरथस्य आत्मजः’

• पर्यपृच्छत: asked, inquired
• पर्यपृच्छत: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: परि-

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous-souled one
• धर्मात्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘धर्मः आत्मा यस्य सः’ (one whose nature is righteous)

• वैदेहीम्: Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेहीम्: अपादान/वियोग (Separation; with विनाः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगतम्: (who had) come
• आगतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘लक्ष्मणम्’/‘त्वम्’ as ‘one who has come’)

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध (Relational marker: separation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable) governing द्वितीया; ‘without’

Context

Rama, son of Dasaratha, the righteous self, saw Lakshmana downcast and dejected. Seeing him without Sita, Rama enquired:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Daśarathātmaja)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as attentive leadership and care: a righteous person does not ignore signs of distress and immediately seeks truthful information when responsibility is involved.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa returns to Rāma alone; Rāma notices his condition and questions him because Sītā is missing.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s vigilance and moral seriousness—his identity as dharmātmā is expressed through immediate inquiry and concern.