Shloka 43

मायाशिरोप्रदर्शनम्

The Display of the Illusory Head of Rāma

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तंतुतद्रक्षशशिरस्तत्प्रियदर्शनम् ।उपनिक्षिप्यसीतायाःक्षिप्रमन्तरधीयत ।।।।

Transliteration

evam uktaṃ tu tad rakṣaḥ śiras tat priyadarśanam |

upanikṣipya sītāyāḥ kṣipram antaradhīyata ||

Translation

So gesprochen, legte jener rākṣasa rasch das lieblich anzusehende Haupt neben Sītā nieder und verschwand sogleich aus dem Blick.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in that way
• एवम्: प्रकार (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial particle); manner-adverb

• उक्तम्: having spoken / having said
• उक्तम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); used impersonally: 'having been said/spoken'

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• रक्षः: the rakshasa (demon)
• रक्षः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg); 'rakshasa-demon'

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with प्रियदर्शनम्)

• प्रियदर्शनम्: pleasing to see
• प्रियदर्शनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रियस्य दर्शनम्/प्रियं दर्शनं); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• उपनिक्षिप्य: having placed (near)
• उपनिक्षिप्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-क्षिप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund) in ल्यप्; 'having placed/put down'

• सीतायाः: of Sita / near Sita
• सीतायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive sg)

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly, immediately
• क्षिप्रम्: काल/रीति (Adverb of manner/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); शीघ्रार्थक (quickly)

• अन्तर्धीयत: disappeared
• अन्तर्धीयत: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन्तर्-धा (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'disappeared'

Context

Then Ravana of extraordinary skills sent for Vidyujihvam, a learned one in conjuring tricks and went from there to Mythili.

Characters & Entities

• rākṣasa (agent of Rāvaṇa)
• Sītā

FAQs

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

The verse dramatizes the violence of falsehood: deception aims to destroy hope and moral resolve. Dharma stands with truth; adharma uses illusion to manipulate emotions.

What is the narrative situation?

The conspirator completes the staged evidence by placing the (illusory) head near Sītā and then disappears.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfast love and commitment are the target; the plot’s very design presumes her loyalty to Rāma.