Shloka 5.25.15

सीताविलापः (Sita’s Lament amid Rākṣasī Threats)

Devanagari script

भर्तारं तमपश्यन्ती राक्षसीवशमागता।सीदामि खलु शोकेन कूलं तोयहतं यथा।।5.25.15।।

Transliteration

evamuktā tu vaidehī rākṣasībhir manasvinī | uvāca paramatrastā bhāṣpa-gadgadayā girā || 5.25.2 ||

Translation

Thus addressed by the rākṣasīs, Vaidehī—noble-minded and terribly afraid—spoke in a voice choked with tears.

Context

'Unable to find my husband and seized by these ogresses, I am collapsing on account of grief like a river-bank under the current of water.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Rākṣasīs

FAQs

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

Even under coercion and fear, Sītā maintains moral clarity and truthful self-expression; her tears show suffering, but her speech signals steadfastness rather than surrender.

What is the narrative situation?

In Laṅkā, Sītā is surrounded by rākṣasīs who threaten and pressure her; she replies while overwhelmed with fear and grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fortitude under oppression—Sītā’s inner nobility (manasvinī) persists despite terror.