Shloka 3.60.23

सीतान्वेषणविलापः (Rama’s Lament and Search for Sita)

Devanagari script

अथवा मृगशाबाक्षीं मृग जानासि मैथिलीम्।मृगविप्रेक्षणी कान्ता मृगीभिस्सहिता भवेत्।।3.60.23।।

Transliteration

athavā mṛgaśābākṣīṁ mṛga jānāsi maithilīm | mṛgaviprekṣaṇī kāntā mṛgībhis sahitā bhavet || 3.60.23 ||

Translation

O deer, do you know Maithilī, she of fawn-like eyes? My beloved, whose gaze is like that of a young deer, may perhaps be among the does.

Context

Or, O deer! do you know about Maithili who has the eyes of a fawn? My beloved who has the restless eyes of a doe may be found in their company.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Deer (mṛga), does (mṛgī)

FAQs

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

Dharma is the truthful quest for the lost and the refusal to accept injustice silently—Rāma seeks any honest witness, even among animals, to restore what is rightfully his.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues searching for Sītā, addressing a deer directly and imagining she might be hidden among the herd.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tenderness joined with resolve: his speech is gentle, yet his purpose is unwavering.