Shloka 20

सीताव्यथा

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

Devanagari script

एकया दीर्घया वेण्या शोभमानामयत्नतः।नीलया नीरदापाये वनराज्या महीमिव।।।।

Transliteration

ekayā dīrghayā veṇyā śobhamānām ayatnataḥ |

nīlayā nīradāpāye vanarājyā mahīm iva ||

Translation

Selbst mit nur einem langen Zopf, mühelos und achtlos belassen, erschien sie schön—wie die Erde beim Aufklaren nach den Regenfällen, gezeichnet von einer einzigen dunklen Linie der Wälder.

Word by Word

• ekayā: with one/single
• ekayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• dīrghayā: long
• dīrghayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• veṇyā: by/with a braid (of hair)
• veṇyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śobhamānām: shining/beautiful
• śobhamānām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śubh (धातु) + śobhamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present middle participle)

• ayatnataḥ: carelessly, without effort
• ayatnataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = 'without effort/carelessly'

• nīlayā: dark/blue
• nīlayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nīrada-apāye: at the clearing/end of clouds (end of rains)
• nīrada-apāye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīrada (प्रातिपदिक) + apāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nīradasya apāyaḥ)

• vana-rājyā: with a line/row of trees
• vana-rājyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + rājī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vanasya rājī)

• mahīm: the earth/land
• mahīm: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक निपात

Context

She looked woeful seated on the bare earth like the broken branch of a tree cut and fallen down on the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

True worth is not dependent on display; dharma and inner nobility can remain evident even when one is deprived of normal care and adornment.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet continues describing Sītā’s condition in captivity: neglected outwardly, yet still naturally radiant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tejas with simplicity—quiet dignity that does not seek ornamentation to prove value.