Shloka 8

लङ्काप्राकारारोहणम् / Assault on Lanka’s Ramparts and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

अत्रसामृगशावाक्षीमत्कृतेजनकात्मजा ।पीड्यतेशोकसन्तप्ताकृशास्थण्डिलशायिनी ।।।।

Transliteration

atra sā mṛgaśāvākṣī matkṛte janakātmajā |

pīḍyate śoka-santaptā kṛśā sthaṇḍila-śāyinī ||

Translation

Aquí, la hija de Janaka—Sītā, de ojos de gacela—padece por mi causa: abrasada por el dolor, consumida y tendida sobre la tierra desnuda.

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, deśa-vācaka adverb

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• mṛga-śāva-akṣī: doe-fawn-eyed
• mṛga-śāva-akṣī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛgaśāva + akṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; bahuvrīhi: mṛgaśāvasya iva akṣiṇī yasyāḥ sā

• mat-kṛte: because of me
• mat-kṛte: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम) + kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya phrase; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/locative sense: 'because of me/for my sake' (mat = genitive sense)

• janaka-ātmajā: Janaka's daughter
• janaka-ātmajā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; tatpuruṣa: janakasya ātmajā

• pīḍyate: is tormented
• pīḍyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pīḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्/laṭ), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada; passive sense 'is tormented'

• śoka-santaptā: burnt by sorrow
• śoka-santaptā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + santapta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; tatpuruṣa: śokena santaptā

• kṛśā: emaciated
• kṛśā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• sthaṇḍila-śāyinī: lying on bare ground
• sthaṇḍila-śāyinī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthaṇḍila + śāyinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; tatpuruṣa: sthaṇḍile śete iti

Context

Raghava accompanied by the army happily went near and witnessed Lanka filled with Rakshasas all over.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Janaka
• Laṅkā (implied by 'here')
• Rāma (implicit as speaker)

FAQs

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

Accountability and empathy: Rāma internalizes responsibility for Sītā’s pain, reflecting the dharmic ideal that a leader or protector does not deflect blame but feels the burden of others’ suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Standing near Laṅkā, Rāma imagines Sītā’s present condition and speaks in grief and urgency.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Karunā (compassion) joined with moral responsibility—Rāma’s sensitivity to injustice done to Sītā.