Shloka 11

अभिज्ञानप्रदानम्

The Token of Recognition (Chūḍāmaṇi) and the Crow Episode Recalled

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता हनुमता सीता सुरसुतोपमा।उवाच वचनं मन्दं बाष्पप्रग्रथिताक्षरम्।।5.38.11।।इदं श्रेष्ठमभिज्ञानं ब्रूयास्त्वं तु मम प्रियम्।

Transliteration

evam uktā hanumatā sītā surasutopamā |

uvāca vacanaṁ mandaṁ bāṣpapragrathitākṣaram ||

idaṁ śreṣṭham abhijñānaṁ brūyās tvaṁ tu mama priyam |

Translation

So von Hanumān angesprochen, sprach Sītā — einer Göttertochter gleich — leise, die Silben von Tränen umsponnen: „Sage meinem Geliebten: Dies ist das beste Erkennungszeichen.“

Word by Word

• evam: thus, in this way
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• uktā: having been addressed
• uktā: Karta (कर्ता) (of uvāca: Sītā as subject described)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been addressed/said to’

• hanumatā: by Hanumān
• hanumatā: Karaṇa (करण) / Agent-instrument (by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (हनुमत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; instrumental

• sītā: Sītā
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (सीता प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• surasutā-upamā: like a god’s daughter
• surasutā-upamā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sura (सुर प्रातिपदिक) + sutā (सुता प्रातिपदिक) + upamā (उपमा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): सुरस्य सुताया उपमा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective qualifying Sītā

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• vacanam: words, speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (वचन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• mandam: softly, in a low tone
• mandam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manda (मन्द प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adverbially as manner of speaking

• bāṣpa-pragrathita-akṣaram: with syllables choked/knotted by tears
• bāṣpa-pragrathita-akṣaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa (बाष्प) + pra√grath (प्र+ग्रथ् धातु) + akṣara (अक्षर)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/उपपद-भाव): बाष्पेण प्रग्रथितानि अक्षराणि यस्य तत्; कृदन्त (क्त) ‘pragrathita’, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying vacanam

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म) (object of brūyās)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• śreṣṭham: best, excellent
• śreṣṭham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (श्रेष्ठ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative adjective qualifying abhijñānam

• abhijñānam: token of recognition
• abhijñānam: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to idam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhijñāna (अभिज्ञान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• brūyās: you should say/tell
• brūyās: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (त्वम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (pronoun), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but, indeed
• tu: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), emphasis/contrast

• mama: my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन

• priyam: (what is) dear / dear one
• priyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रिय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object-complement with brūyās (‘tell my dear one/what is dear to me’)

Context

Having heard Hanuman, Sita, a child of god, said these words in a low tone. Choked with tears, 'Carry this token of identity to my dear husband':

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Satya joined with compassion: Sītā provides a reliable means of truth-recognition while expressing sincere emotion without abandoning composure and purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā responds to Hanumān’s request for proof, preparing to give an identifying remembrance/token for Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfast love and dignity under suffering—her grief is real, yet directed toward righteous reunion.