Shloka 16

सीताव्यथा

वर्णनम् / Sītā’s Distress and Rāvaṇa’s Attempt at Coercive Allurement

Devanagari script

उत्कृष्टपर्णकमलां वित्रासितविहङ्गमाम्।हस्तिहस्तपरामृष्टामाकुलां पद्मिनीमिव।।।।

Transliteration

utkṛṣṭaparṇakamalāṃ vitrāsitavihaṅgamām |

hastihastaparāmṛṣṭām ākulāṃ padminīm iva ||

Translation

Sie erschien wie ein Lotosteich mit prächtigen Blättern und Blüten, dessen Vögel erschreckt entflohen sind, aufgewühlt und zerdrückt von den Rüsseln der Elefanten.

Word by Word

• utkṛṣṭa-parṇa-kamalām: having excellent leaves and lotuses
• utkṛṣṭa-parṇa-kamalām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: utkṛṣṭa + parṇa + kamala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समाससमूहः; उत्कृष्टानि पर्णानि (यस्याः) तथा कमलानि (यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vitrāsita-vihaṅgamām: with birds frightened away
• vitrāsita-vihaṅgamām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-trās (धातु) + vihaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (वित्रासिताः विहङ्गमाः यस्याः), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• hasti-hasta-parāmṛṣṭām: trampled/touched by elephants' trunks
• hasti-hasta-parāmṛṣṭām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasti + hasta + parāmṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (हस्तिनां हस्तैः परामृष्टा), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ākulām: disturbed, muddled
• ākulām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; feminine accusative singular

• padminīm: lotus-pond
• padminīm: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

Context

Stricken with grief caused by separation from her husband, she appeared like a river gone thin and dry, not fit for ablution, like a night during dark fortnight of the month deprived of all its glow.

Characters & Entities

• Elephants (hasti)
• Lotus-pond (padminī)

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the gentle and beautiful from brute force. The image condemns the misuse of power that terrorizes the innocent and destroys tranquility.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā’s shaken state is depicted through a vivid natural metaphor of a serene lotus-pond violently disturbed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Gentleness and dignity: Sītā is likened to a refined, life-giving pond—her nature is peace, while the disturbance comes from external aggression.