Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 14

सीताविलापः

Sītā’s Lament over the Illusory Head and Bow

Devanagari script

अदृष्टंमृत्युमापन्नःकस्मात्त्वंनयशास्त्रवित् ।व्यसनानामुपायज्ञःकुशलोह्यसिवर्जने ।।6.32.14।।

Transliteration

adṛṣṭaṃ mṛtyum āpannaḥ kasmāt tvaṃ nayaśāstravit | vyasanānām upāyajñaḥ kuśalo hy asi varjane || 6.32.14 ||

Translation

Wie konnte der Tod, ungesehen, eine Öffnung finden, dich zu ergreifen, da du doch die Staatskunst und die Śāstras kennst, die Mittel zu wählen verstehst und im Abwenden von Unheil geübt bist?

Word by Word

• adṛṣṭam: unexpectedly
• adṛṣṭam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-dṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक from PPP)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; adverbial accusative 'unexpectedly/by chance'

• mṛtyum: death
• mṛtyum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of 'āpannaḥ' (met death)

• āpannaḥ: having met/attained
• āpannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-pad (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate 'having met/attained'

• kasmāt: how/why
• kasmāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative ablative used adverbially (कस्मात् = 'why/how')

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nayaśāstravit: knower of statecraft
• nayaśāstravit: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naya-śāstra + vid (प्रातिपदिक: -vit)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā/Sambodhana, Ekavacana; 'knower of polity/treatises'

• vyasanānām: of calamities
• vyasanānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyasana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; 'of calamities'

• upāyajñaḥ: knower of remedies
• upāyajñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upāya + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'knowing the means (to deal with...)'

• kuśalaḥ: skilled
• kuśalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective to 'tvam'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), 'indeed'

• asi: are
• asi: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ, Madhyama puruṣa (2nd person/मध्यम), Ekavacana

• varjane: in avoidance/warding off
• varjane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative 'in avoiding/warding off'

Context

"You are the knower of all sastras, and capable of warding off all calamities. How did death have a chance to meet you and overtake?"

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

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

It reflects the dharmic ideal of the ruler-hero: mastery of right means (upāya) and protection from harm—yet acknowledges the mystery of mortality.

What is the narrative situation?

Sita questions how Rama—renowned for prudence and strategy—could be overtaken in battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s ideal competence as a dharmic leader (nayaśāstra-vit), praised even amid tragedy.