Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 5

सीताप्रत्यय-प्रदानम्

Sita’s Recognition and Reassurance by the Envoy

Devanagari script

चारु तद्वदनं तस्यास्ताम्रशुक्लायतेक्षणम्।अशोभत विशालाक्ष्या राहुमुक्त इवोडुराट्।।।।

Transliteration

cāru tad-vadanaṃ tasyās tāmraśuklāyatekṣaṇam | aśobhata viśālākṣyā rāhu-mukta ivodurāṭ ||

Translation

Su hermoso rostro—y sus grandes ojos, blancos con un leve tinte rojizo—resplandecía como la luna liberada de Rāhu.

Word by Word

• चारु: beautiful
• चारु: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘beautiful’ (agreeing with वदनम्)

• तत्-वदनम्: her face
• तत्-वदनम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (tasyāḥ vadanam); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• ताम्र-शुक्लायत-ईक्षणम्: with eyes white and reddish-tinged, elongated
• ताम्र-शुक्लायत-ईक्षणम्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + आयत (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष समास (tāmra-śukla-āyataṃ īkṣaṇam yasya tat); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘having eyes elongated/appearing white with reddish tinge’ (qualifying वदनम्)

• अशोभत: shone/was splendid
• अशोभत: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (aśobhata)

• विशालाक्ष्या: by the large-eyed one
• विशालाक्ष्या: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशालाक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by the large-eyed (lady)’

• राहु-मुक्तः: released from Rahu
• राहु-मुक्तः: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राहु (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √मुच्)
• Form: पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (rāhoḥ muktaḥ = released from Rahu); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Upamā-marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय

• उडुराट्: the Moon
• उडुराट्: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडुराज्/उडुराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Context

Her beautiful countenance with large white eyes with a reddish tinge in the corners shone like the Moon released from Rahu.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rahu
• Moon (Udurat)

FAQs

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

The verse supports dharma indirectly by portraying restoration of hope: when truthful reassurance arrives, inner clarity returns—an ethical-emotional grounding needed for right action and endurance.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator describes Sītā’s appearance as her despair begins to lift after receiving meaningful reassurance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s resilience—her radiance returns when she receives credible words and renewed hope.