Shloka 17

एकोनषष्ठितमः सर्गः (Sarga 59): सुमन्त्रवाक्यं, अयोध्याविषादः, दाशरथिशोकसागरः

Devanagari script

आयतैर्विमलैर्नेत्रैरश्रुवेगपरिप्लुतैः।अन्योन्यमभिवीक्षन्तेऽव्यक्तमार्ततराः स्त्रियः।।2.59.17।।

Transliteration

āyataiḥ vimalair netrair aśru-vega-pariplutaiḥ |

anyonyaṃ abhivīkṣante 'vyaktam ārta-tarāḥ striyaḥ ||2.59.17||

Translation

Mit großen, klaren Augen, von einem Strom der Tränen überflutet, blickten die Frauen—von noch tieferer Not getroffen—einander schweigend an.

Word by Word

• āyataiḥ: with large
• āyataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with netraiḥ; ‘long/large’

• vimalaiḥ: bright/clear
• vimalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with netraiḥ; ‘clear/bright’

• netraiḥ: with eyes
• netraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• aśru-vega-pariplutaiḥ: flooded with rushing tears
• aśru-vega-pariplutaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक) + paripluta (कृदन्त; pari-√plu प्लु, क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with netraiḥ; ‘flooded by the rush of tears’

• anyonyam: one another
• anyonyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anyonya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); reciprocal pronoun used adverbially ‘each other’

• abhivīkṣante: look at
• abhivīkṣante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√īkṣ (ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• avyaktam: silently/indistinctly
• avyaktam: Prakāra (प्रकार/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Adverbial accusative used as indeclinable (क्रियाविशेषणभाव); ‘indistinctly/silently’

• ārtatarāḥ: more distressed
• ārtatarāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); comparative degree (तरप्); agrees with striyaḥ

• striyaḥ: women
• striyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

I did not see any difference in the degree of anguish among friends, those who are not friends and and those who are indifferent. (The degree of agony was same in all).

Characters & Entities

• Rama (implied cause of grief)

FAQs

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

Dharma is indirectly framed as the sustaining presence of a righteous prince; the community’s wordless grief shows how deeply moral leadership supports social well-being.

What is the narrative situation?

After the chariot returns without Rama, the women of the city are rendered speechless, communicating grief through silent looks and tears.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s belovedness and moral authority, evidenced by the depth of communal sorrow.