Shloka 5.16.24

षोडशः सर्गः (Sarga 16): Hanumān’s Recognition of Sītā and Renewed Lament

Devanagari script

कामभोगैः परित्यक्ता हीना बन्धुजनेन च।धारयत्यात्मनो देहं तत्समागमकाङ्क्षिणी।।5.16.24।।

Transliteration

kāma-bhogaiḥ parityaktā hīnā bandhu-janena ca | dhārayaty ātmano dehaṃ tat-samāgama-kāṅkṣiṇī ||5.16.24||

Translation

Deprived of pleasures and cut off from her kin, she sustains her very body only by longing for reunion with them.

Context

Deprived of all sensual pleasures, and separated from her relatives, she is surviving with the hope of meeting them.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama
• Bandhu-jana (kinsfolk)

FAQs

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

Truth sustained by hope: Sita’s survival rests on fidelity to truth (satya) and dharma—she refuses to accept Ravana’s false claim and endures through hope of rightful reunion.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman observes Sita’s extreme deprivation in captivity and recognizes that hope of reunion is what keeps her alive.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dhṛti (steadfastness) and āśā (resolute hope) grounded in loyalty and truth.