Shloka 3.52.42

सीताहरण-विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

तां तु लक्ष्मण रामेति क्रोशन्तीं मधुरस्वरम्।।।।अवेक्षमाणां बहुशो वैदेहीं धरणीतलम्।स तामाकुलकेशान्तां विप्रमृष्टविशेषकाम्।।।।जहारात्म विनाशाय दशग्रीवो मनस्स्विनीम्।

Transliteration

vitrastakā dīnamukhā rurudur mṛga-potakāḥ |

udvīkṣyodvīkṣya nayanair asra-pātāvilēkṣaṇāḥ ||

Translation

The fawns, frightened and sorrow-faced, wept; again and again they looked up in that direction, their eyes blurred by streaming tears.

Context

The ten- headed Ravana abducted Sita who was calling out, O Rama, O Lakshmana with her sweet voice, weeping , looking down on the earth; her hair dishevelled and auspicious, (vermilion) mark on the forehead erased. Ravana abducted this high-minded Sita for his own destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Fawns/young deer (mṛgapotakāḥ)
• Sītā (implied by 'direction in which she went')

FAQs

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

The verse frames compassion as natural and universal: when adharma occurs, even innocent creatures respond with grief, implying dharma aligns with empathy.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sītā is taken away, the forest creatures react emotionally, indicating the severity of the wrong.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The forest’s innate sensitivity—symbolizing a dharmic world that mourns injustice.