Shloka 18

सेनानिवेशः रामविलापश्च

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

Devanagari script

स्वभावतनुकानूनंशोकेनानशनेनच ।भूयस्तनुतरासीतादेशकालविपर्ययात् ।।।।

Transliteration

svabhāvatanukā nūnaṃ śokenānaśanena ca |

bhūyas tanutarā sītā deśakālaviparyayāt ||

Translation

Sītā, von Natur aus schlank, ist gewiss durch Kummer, durch Fasten und durch die harte Verkehrung von Ort und Zeit noch viel zarter geworden.

Word by Word

• स्वभावतनुका: slender by nature
• स्वभावतनुका: कर्ता (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वभाव + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpurusha): स्वभाव-तनु; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying सीता)

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Modal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (certainly)

• शोकेन: by grief
• शोकेन: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनशनेन: by fasting, not eating
• अनशनेन: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूयः: still more
• भूयः: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Degree)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/further/more)

• तनुतरा: more slender
• तनुतरा: कर्ता (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative degree)

• सीता: Sita
• सीता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• देशकालविपर्ययात्: due to adverse place and time
• देशकालविपर्ययात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश + काल + विपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (Dvandva): देश-काल; ततः तत्पुरुष (देशकाल-विपर्यय); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Indeed by shooting arrows into the chest of rakshasa king, when will I get back Sita and cast off grief from my mind.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

Dharma includes compassionate sensitivity: recognizing another’s suffering and taking righteous responsibility to end it.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma imagines Sītā’s physical decline in captivity, caused by sorrow and abstaining from food under hostile circumstances.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy and protective duty—Rāma’s concern for Sītā’s wellbeing intensifies his righteous resolve.