Shloka 15

सेनानिवेशः रामविलापश्च

Encampment on the Northern Shore; Rama’s Lament and Sandhyā

Devanagari script

सानूनमसितापाङ्गीरक्षोमध्यगतासती ।मन्नाथानाथहीनेवत्रातारंनाधिगच्छति ।।।।

Transliteration

sā nūnam asitāpāṅgī rakṣomadhyagatā satī | mannāthā nāthahīnevā trātāraṃ nādhigacchati ||6.5.15||

Translation

Gewiss ist jene mit den dunklen Augenwinkeln, die treue Gattin, mitten unter den Rākṣasas; und obgleich ich ihr Herr bin, findet sie, wie eine Ehelose, keinen Retter.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Modal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (adverb of certainty)

• असितापाङ्गी: the dark-cornered-eyed lady
• असितापाङ्गी: कर्ता (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असित + अपाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (Bahuvrihi): असित-अपाङ्ग; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• रक्षोमध्यगता: gone into the midst of rakshasas
• रक्षोमध्यगता: कर्ता (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षस् + मध्य + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha): रक्षस्-मध्य-गत; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying सा)

• सती: a chaste wife
• सती: कर्ता (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present participle used as noun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); 'virtuous wife'

• मन्-नाथा: having me as her lord
• मन्-नाथा: कर्ता (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha): मत्-नाथ (having me as lord); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying सा)

• नाथहीना: bereft of a protector/husband
• नाथहीना: कर्ता (Simile base)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाथ + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha): नाथ-हीन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (implied सा)

• इव: as if
• इव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• त्रातारम्: a protector
• त्रातारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अधिगच्छति: finds/attains
• अधिगच्छति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Context

That dark-eyed lady (Sita), even though she has me (husband), is in the midst of rakshasas. Surely she is sad and emaciated being away from her husband, without a protector.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma as protection and responsibility: the verse frames Sītā’s danger as a moral failure that must be corrected—one must not allow the innocent to remain without refuge.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reflects on Sītā’s captivity among rākṣasas and feels the urgency of rescuing her, since she lacks effective protection there.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective duty (rakṣaṇa-dharma): Rāma’s sense of obligation to safeguard his spouse and restore her security.