Shloka 23

अशोकवनिकायां सीतादर्शनम्

Sita Seen in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

अश्रुपूर्णमुखीं दीनां कृशामनशनेन च।शोकध्यानपरां दीनां नित्यं दुःखपरायणाम्।।।।

Transliteration

aśrupūrṇamukhīṃ dīnāṃ kṛśām anaśanena ca |

śokadhyānaparāṃ dīnāṃ nityaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇām ||

Translation

Ihr Antlitz war von Tränen erfüllt; niedergeschlagen und vom Fasten ausgemergelt, war sie stets in Betrachtung des Kummers versunken und unablässig dem Leid hingegeben.

Word by Word

• aśru-pūrṇa-mukhīm: tear-filled-faced
• aśru-pūrṇa-mukhīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrṇa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + mukhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: "whose face is full of tears"

• dīnām: dejected
• dīnām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, ekavacana

• kṛśām: thin/emaciated
• kṛśām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, ekavacana

• anaśanena: by fasting
• anaśanena: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Tṛtīyā, ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• śoka-dhyāna-parām: absorbed in grieving contemplation
• śoka-dhyāna-parām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: "devoted to meditation on grief"

• dīnām: wretched
• dīnām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, ekavacana (repeated epithet)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्; temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (adverb of time)

• duḥkha-parāyaṇām: wholly given over to sorrow
• duḥkha-parāyaṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: "having sorrow as sole resort"

Context

Her face was filled with tears. She looked dejected and emaciated due to fasting. Always plunged in grief, she looked like one meditating in tears.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

Truthfulness and fidelity are maintained through self-restraint: fasting and refusal of indulgence become ethical resistance against coercion and moral compromise.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān sees visible signs of Sītā’s prolonged distress—tears, fasting, and constant grief—confirming the harshness of her captivity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control and steadfast devotion: her austerity functions as moral strength, not mere weakness.