Valmiki Ramayana 2.38.9 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 9

अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः

Sita in Bark Garments; Public Outcry and Dasaratha’s Lament

Devanagari script

मृगीवोत्फुल्लनयना मृदुशीला तपस्वीनी।अपकारं कमिह ते करोति जनकात्मजा।।।।

Transliteration

mṛgīvotphullanayanā mṛduśīlā tapasvinī | apakāraṃ kam iha te karoti janakātmajā ||

Translation

Welchen Schaden hat dir hier Janakas Tochter zugefügt—mit weit geöffneten Augen wie eine Hirschkuh, von sanftem Wesen und des Mitleids würdig?

Word by Word

• मृगी: a doe
• मृगी: उपमान (Upamāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (upamāna)

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• उत्फुल्लनयना: wide-eyed
• उत्फुल्लनयना: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्फुल्ल (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: 'उत्फुल्ले नयने यस्याः/यस्याḥ' (large-open eyes)

• मृदुशीला: gentle in conduct
• मृदुशीला: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: gentle-natured

• तपस्वीनी: the ascetic woman (Sita)
• तपस्वीनी: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• अपकारम्: offence/harm
• अपकारम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• कम्: what
• कम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; Dative singular

• करोति: does
• करोति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd sg present

• जनकात्मजा: Janaka's daughter
• जनकात्मजा: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'जनकस्य आत्मजा'

Context

What wrong has the daughter of Janaka large-eyed like a doe, so gentle and worthy of compassion done to you?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Kaikeyī
• Sītā
• Janaka

FAQs

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

The principle is non-injury to the innocent: dharma protects the gentle and blameless from being made collateral victims of another conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha continues his appeal, describing Sītā’s gentleness and questioning Kaikeyī’s justification for implicating her in exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s gentleness and purity, presented as moral reasons she should not be subjected to hardship.