Shloka 16

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

Devanagari script

विराधो दण्डकारण्ये येन राक्षसपुङ्गवः।रणे रामेण निहतस्स मां किं नाभिपद्यते।।।।

Transliteration

virādho daṇḍakāraṇye yena rākṣasapuṅgavaḥ | raṇe rāmeṇa nihatas sa māṃ kiṃ nābhipadyate ||

Translation

Warum kommt jener Rāma nicht, um mich zu erreichen und zu retten — er, der im Daṇḍaka-Wald im Kampf Virādha, einen der Vornehmsten unter den Rākṣasas, erschlug?

Word by Word

• विराधः: Viradha
• विराधः: Karta (कर्ता; of participial clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दण्डकारण्ये: in the Dandaka forest
• दण्डकारण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक-अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दण्डकानां अरण्यम्)

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• राक्षसपुङ्गवः: bull/foremost among demons
• राक्षसपुङ्गवः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस-पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राक्षसानां पुङ्गवः)

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Kriya (क्रिया; participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निहत (कृदन्त; नि+√हन् धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle agreeing with विराधः

• सः: he (Rama)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• किम्: why
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; interrogative

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• अभिपद्यते: comes to/rescues
• अभिपद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+√पद् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular

Context

"Why is Rama who killed Viradha, a bull among demons, in Dandaka forest in the fight not coming to rescue me?

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Virādha
• Daṇḍakāraṇya (Dandaka forest)

FAQs

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

The expectation that righteous power acts to protect the afflicted: Sītā’s grief voices the dharmic ideal that the strong defend those wronged.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā, remembering earlier victories, wonders why rescue has not yet arrived despite Rāma’s proven might.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s proven valor (śaurya) contrasted with Sītā’s present helplessness and longing for protection.