Shloka 69

पूर्वदिशि सीतामार्गण-नियोगः

Deployment to the Eastern Quarter for the Search of Sita

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न वस्तव्यं वसन्वध्यो भवेन्मम।।4.40.69।।सिद्धार्थास्सन्निवर्तध्वमधिगम्य तु मैथिलीम्।

Transliteration

ūrdhvaṃ māsān na vastavyaṃ vasan vadhyo bhaven mama || 4.40.69 ||

siddhārthāḥ sannivartadhvam adhigamya tu maithilīm |

Translation

Bleibt nicht länger als einen Monat fern; verweilt ihr darüber hinaus, so seid ihr meiner Strafe verfallen. Gelangt nach Maithilī, erfüllt den Zweck und kehrt mit vollem Erfolg zurück.

Word by Word

• ऊर्ध्वम्: beyond/after
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: beyond/after)

• मासात्: from (the limit of) a month
• मासात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Case 5), एकवचन; काल-अपादान (from a month)

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

• वस्तव्यम्: should be stayed (i.e., you must not stay)
• वस्तव्यम्: Vidhi/Obligation (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligation), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (should be stayed)

• वसन्: while staying
• वसन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (while staying)

• वध्यः: to be killed
• वध्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्य (कृदन्त; √वध् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (liable to be killed)

• भवेत्: would be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मम: of me / by me
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Case 6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• सिद्धार्थाः: having accomplished the aim
• सिद्धार्थाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (सिद्धः अर्थः येषाम्/सिद्धोऽर्थः)

• सन्: completely/fully (as in 'return fully')
• सन्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle) used as upasarga-like in compound with verb (sannivartadhvam)

• निवर्तध्वम्: return (you all)
• निवर्तध्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अधिगम्य: having reached
• अधिगम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि+√गम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानसूचक

• मैथिलीम्: Maithili (Sita)
• मैथिलीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

Context

'If you do not report within one month, you will be killed. May you see Maithili and come back after reaching the goal.

Characters & Entities

• Maithilī (Sītā)

FAQs

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

Dharma of governance (rājadharma): enforcing discipline and timelines so that a collective mission does not fail through delay or negligence.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugriva sets a strict one-month deadline for the search and states consequences for failing to return.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Firm leadership and responsibility—balancing encouragement with strict accountability.