Valmiki Ramayana 5.35.59 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 59

रामलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of Rama and Lakshmana; Alliance Narrative to Sita

Devanagari script

विचित्य वनदुर्गाणि गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च।अनासाद्य पदं देव्याः प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं समुद्यताः।।।।

Transliteration

vicitya vanadurgāṇi giriprasravaṇāni ca | anāsādya padaṃ devyāḥ prāṇāṃs tyaktuṃ samudyatāḥ ||

Translation

Tras registrar los baluartes del bosque, difíciles de penetrar, y también los arroyos de las montañas, y sin hallar el paradero de la reina, estábamos dispuestos a entregar la vida.

Word by Word

• विचित्य: having searched
• विचित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having searched/examined’

• वनदुर्गाणि: forest strongholds / difficult forests
• वनदुर्गाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन-दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—वनं दुर्गं (कर्मधारयः)

• गिरिप्रस्रवणानि: mountain streams
• गिरिप्रस्रवणानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि-प्रस्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—गिरेः प्रस्रवणानि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अनासाद्य: not finding
• अनासाद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अन् + आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund) with negation-prefix अन्; अव्यय; ‘not having reached/obtained’

• पदम्: place/trace (here: whereabouts/feet)
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देव्याः: of the lady (Sita)
• देव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राणान्: lives
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्यक्तुम्: to give up
• त्यक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), अव्यय

• समुद्यताः: were ready
• समुद्यताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उद् + यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘ready/resolved’

Context

"We decided to give up our lives since we were unable to see the feet of the queen (Sita) even after searching the forest fortresses and the (banks of) mountain streams.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Hanuman
• Mountain streams (giriprasravaṇāni)

FAQs

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

Dharma is relentless effort in service of the innocent; the verse highlights exhaustive searching as a moral obligation toward Sītā and toward Rāma’s cause.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān describes the breadth of the search—forests and mountain waters—followed by despair when no trace of Sītā was found.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Utsāha (zeal) and sevā-bhāva (spirit of service): they explored difficult terrain for Sītā’s sake.