Shloka 4
सीताव्यथा
वर्णनम् / Sītā’s Distress and Rāvaṇa’s Attempt at Coercive Allurement
दशग्रीवस्तु वैदेहीं रक्षितां राक्षसीगणैः।ददर्श सीतां दुःखार्तां नावं सन्नामिवार्णवे।।।।
daśagrīvas tu vaidehīṃ rakṣitāṃ rākṣasīgaṇaiḥ |
dadarśa sītāṃ duḥkhārtāṃ nāvaṃ sannām ivārṇave ||
Da sah Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa) Vaidehī—Sītā—bewacht von Scharen von Rākṣasīs, vom Kummer gezeichnet wie ein Boot, das im Meer versunken ist.
She was wasted and emaciated through fasting and grief, depressed due to brooding and threatenings. She ate very little but was rich with austerities.
FAQs
The verse frames captivity and intimidation as conditions produced by adharma; dharma stands implicitly on the side of protecting the vulnerable rather than surrounding them with fear.
Rāvaṇa arrives and beholds Sītā under guard, setting up his attempt to pressure her to submit.
Sītā’s steadfastness is implied by her continuing identity as Vaidehī despite coercive surroundings; her integrity remains intact though she is “submerged” in sorrow.