Shloka 18

सीतासमीपगमनम् / Sītā Brought Near to Rāma

Public Witness and Protocol

Devanagari script

ततःपार्श्वगतंदृष्टवासविमर्शंविचारयन् ।विभीषणमिदंवाक्यमहृष्टोराघवोऽब्रवीत् ।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ pārśva-gataṃ dṛṣṭvā sa-vimarśaṃ vicārayan |

vibhīṣaṇam idaṃ vākyam ahṛṣṭo rāghavo ’bravīt ||

Translation

Darauf blickte Rāghava, missgestimmt und die Sache bedächtig erwägend, zu Vibhīṣaṇa, der neben ihm stand, und sprach diese Worte zu ihm.

Word by Word

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• āgatām: arrived
• āgatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āgata (कृदन्त, ā-√gam धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) from आ+√गम्; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of tām

• upaśrutya: having heard
• upaśrutya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upa-√śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) from उप+√श्रु; अव्ययवत्

• rakṣaḥ-gṛha-cira-uṣitām: who had long dwelt in the rakshasa-house
• rakṣaḥ-gṛha-cira-uṣitām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + cira (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + uṣita (कृदन्त, √vas/√uṣ धातु)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; उषित (kta, ‘dwelt’) from √वस्/√उष्; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of tām

• harṣa-udainyam: joy and dejection
• harṣa-udainyam: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: harṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + udainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (collective)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• roṣaḥ: anger
• roṣaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• trayam: the three (states)
• trayam: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rāghavam: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āviśat: entered/seized
• āviśat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√viś (धातu)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

Raghava, analysed with in him, distressed and thinking deeply, seeing Vibheeshana close by, spoke these words.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is thoughtful judgment: before acting in a morally complex situation, a leader must deliberate rather than be driven solely by emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, troubled and reflective after hearing of Sītā’s arrival, turns to Vibhīṣaṇa and begins issuing instructions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s discernment (viveka)—he pauses to consider implications, indicating governance guided by reasoned dharma.