Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 9

अभिज्ञानवृत्तान्त-प्रत्यायनम्

Token of Recognition and the Crow–Brahmāstra Episode

Devanagari script

निरीक्षमाणस्सहसा वायसं समवैक्षथाः।नखै स्सरुधिरैस्तीक्ष्णैस्तामेवाभिमुखं स्थितम्।।।।

Transliteration

nirīkṣamāṇaḥ sahasā vāyasaṃ samavaikṣathaḥ | nakhaiḥ sarudhirais tīkṣṇais tāṃ evābhimukhaṃ sthitam ||

Translation

As I looked about, I suddenly saw a crow standing right before her, its sharp nails stained with blood.

Word by Word

• nirīkṣamāṇaḥ: (he) observing / looking around
• nirīkṣamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-īkṣ (धातु) + śatṛ-pratyaya (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• vāyasam: the crow
• vāyasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; कर्मपद

• samavaikṣathāḥ: you all saw / noticed
• samavaikṣathāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ava-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• nakhaiḥ: with claws
• nakhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन; करण (instrument)

• sa-rudhiraiḥ: blood-stained
• sa-rudhiraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + rudhira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (rudhiraiḥ saha = sa-rudhiraiḥ); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (nakhaiḥ)

• tīkṣṇaiḥ: sharp
• tīkṣṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (nakhaiḥ)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; कर्मपद

• eva: indeed / only
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• abhimukham: facing (towards her)
• abhimukham: Deśa/Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhimukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative) / विशेषणम् (sthitam)

• sthitam: standing / stationed
• sthitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (vāyasam) इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Context

'Seeing all over, at once I glanced at the crow that stood in front of her with sharp blood-stained nails'.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• crow (vāyasa)

FAQs

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

Dharma stresses truthful testimony: Sītā reports what she directly perceived, grounding later moral judgment and action in accurate witnessing (satya).

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā narrates a prior incident: she noticed a crow before her with bloodied nails, implying it had caused injury.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s satya (truthfulness) and clarity of observation in recounting events precisely.