Shloka 17

Devanagari script

सौवर्णस्त्वं मृगो भूत्वा चित्रो रजतबिन्दुभिः । आश्रमे तस्य रामस्य सीतायाः प्रमुखे चर ।।3.40.17 ।।

Transliteration

sauvarṇas tvaṃ mṛgo bhūtvā citro rajatabindubhiḥ |

āśrame tasya rāmasya sītāyāḥ pramukhe cara ||

Translation

Deviens un cerf d’or, paré de taches d’argent, et va rôder devant Sītā près de l’āśrama de Rāma.

Word by Word

• sauvarṇaḥ: golden
• sauvarṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sauvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mṛgaḥ: a deer
• mṛgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), 'having become'

• citraḥ: variegated; wondrous
• citraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• rajatabindubhiḥ: with silver spots
• rajatabindubhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajata + bindu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); compound: rajatasya bindavaḥ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• āśrame: in the hermitage
• āśrame: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of that (man); his
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• sītāyāḥ: of Sita
• sītāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pramukhe: in front (of her)
• pramukhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); adverbial-locative: 'in front'

• cara: roam; move about
• cara: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

Missing

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca
• Rāma
• Sītā
• Āśrama (hermitage)

FAQs

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

Deception used to harm the innocent is adharma; dharma demands honesty and protection of others, not manipulation to exploit desire or curiosity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa lays out the key tactic of the abduction plot: Mārīca must take the form of the golden deer to lure Sītā’s attention and draw Rāma away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse highlights the opposite of virtue—cunning deceit—thereby underscoring why dharmic characters must be vigilant and truthful.