Shloka 24

सीतावृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् / Report of Sītā’s Condition and Tokens of Recognition

Devanagari script

जीवितं धारयिष्यामि मासं दशरथात्मज।।।।ऊर्ध्वं मासान्न जीवेयं रक्षसां वशमागता।

Transliteration

jīvitaṃ dhārayiṣyāmi māsaṃ daśarathātmaja |

ūrdhvaṃ māsān na jīveyaṃ rakṣasāṃ vaśam āgatā |

Translation

O Sohn Daśarathas, ich werde mein Leben einen Monat lang bewahren. Nach Ablauf eines Monats, da ich in die Gewalt der Rākṣasas geraten bin, werde ich nicht mehr leben.

Word by Word

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dhārayiṣyāmi: I will sustain/hold on
• dhārayiṣyāmi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘keep/maintain’)

• māsam: for a month
• māsam: Kāla-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; काल-अवधि (duration)

• daśarathātmaja: O son of Dasharatha
• daśarathātmaja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (daśarathasya ātmajaḥ)

• ūrdhvam: beyond; after
• ūrdhvam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘beyond/after’

• māsāt: after a month
• māsāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादान (from/after)

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• jīveyam: I would live
• jīveyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; नकारेण निषेध (I would live)

• rakṣasām: of the demons
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• vaśam: control; power
• vaśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āgatā: having come into; fallen under
• āgatā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) + kta (क्त-कृत्)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (having come/entered)

Context

'O Son of Dasaratha! I will hold on to life for a month. Captured by the demons, I will not live for more than a month'.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama (Daśarathātmaja)
• Rakshasas

FAQs

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

Satya with moral urgency: Sita states the truth of her limits plainly, compelling timely righteous action against adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Sita sends Rama an urgent message through Hanuman that her endurance has a fixed limit.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courageous honesty: Sita does not soften reality; she speaks truthfully to prompt decisive dharmic intervention.