Shloka 23

सीताहरण

विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

सा हेमवर्णा नीलाङ्गं मैथिली राक्षसाधिपम्।शुशुभे काञ्चनी काञ्ची नीलं मणिमिवाश्रिता।।।।

Transliteration

sā hemavarṇā nīlāṅgaṃ maithilī rākṣasādhipam |

śuśubhe kāñcanī kāñcī nīlaṃ maṇim ivāśritā ||

Translation

Maithilī au teint d’or, tenue par le seigneur des rākṣasas au corps sombre, resplendissait tel un ceinturon d’or reposant sur une gemme d’un bleu profond.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• हेमवर्णा: golden-complexioned
• हेमवर्णा: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम-वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘gold-coloured’, विशेषण (of सा)

• नीलाङ्गम्: dark-bodied
• नीलाङ्गम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘dark-bodied’, विशेषण (of राक्षसाधिपम्)

• मैथिली: Maithili (Sita)
• मैथिली: कर्ता (apposition to सा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; अपपद/नाम

• राक्षसाधिपम्: lord of the demons
• राक्षसाधिपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस-अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘lord of demons’

• शुशुभे: shone
• शुशुभे: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• काञ्चनी: golden
• काञ्चनी: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण (of काञ्ची)

• काञ्ची: girdle
• काञ्ची: उपमेय (Simile subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काञ्ची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; उपमान-रूपेण (as simile subject)

• नीलम्: blue
• नीलम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषण (of मणिम्)

• मणिम्: gem
• मणिम्: उपमान
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; उपमान

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• आश्रिता: clinging to
• आश्रिता: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), प्रथमा एकवचन स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘having resorted to/leaning on/held to’ (qualifies सा)

Context

Golden-complexioned Sita, princess of Mithila, held by the dark-coloured king of the demons, shone like a girdle resting on a dark- blue sapphire.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Maithilī)
• Rāvaṇa (rākṣasādhipa)

FAQs

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

The imagery stresses moral contrast: virtue (Sītā’s ‘golden’ purity) stands out even more starkly when placed against adharma (Rāvaṇa’s dark wrongdoing).

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā is physically in Rāvaṇa’s grasp during the aerial abduction; the narrator describes the striking visual contrast between them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s untainted purity and steadfastness—her radiance is not ‘owned’ by her captor.