Shloka 3.52.44

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तु सा चारुदती शुचिस्मिता विनाकृता बन्धुजनेन मैथिली।अपश्यती राघवलक्ष्मणावुभौ विवर्णवक्त्राभयभारपीडिता।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ tu lakṣmaṇa rāmēti krōśantīṃ madhura-svaram |

avēkṣamāṇāṃ bahuśo vaidēhīṃ dharaṇī-talam |

sa tām ākula-kēśāntāṃ vipramṛṣṭa-viśēṣakām |

jahārātma-vināśāya daśagrīvo manasvinīm ||

Translation

As Vaidehī cried out in a sweet voice, “O Lakṣmaṇa! O Rāma!”, and again and again looked down to the earth, her hair dishevelled and her auspicious brow-mark erased, Daśagrīva carried away that high-minded lady—bringing ruin upon himself.

Context

Then Sita whose teeth were beautiful and smile, sweet was distanced from her kins, and, unable to see both Rama and Lakshmana, grew pale in intense fear.ইত্যার্ষে শ্রীমদ্রামাযণে বাল্মীকীয আদিকাব্যে অরণ্যকাণ্ডে দ্বিপঞ্চাশস্সর্গঃ৷৷Thus ends the fiftysecond sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa (Daśagrīva)
• Earth/ground (dharaṇītala)

FAQs

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

The verse presents adharma as self-destructive: violating maryādā (moral boundaries), especially by abducting another’s wife, becomes the cause of one’s own downfall (ātma-vināśa).

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa forcibly carries Sītā away while she calls out for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa; her physical disarray marks the violence of the act.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s unwavering fidelity and inner nobility (manasvinī): she resists through lament and appeal to dharmic protectors, not through consent.