Shloka 31

सीताहरण

विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

तां महोल्कामिवाकाशे दीप्यमानां स्वतेजसा।जहाराऽकाशमाविस्य सीतां वैश्रवणानुजः।।।।

Transliteration

tāṃ maholkām ivākāśe dīpyamānāṃ sva-tejasā |

jahāra ākāśam āviśya sītāṃ vaiśravaṇānujaḥ ||

Translation

Le cadet de Vaiśravaṇa s’empara de Sītā—resplendissante de sa propre lumière telle un grand météore dans le ciel—puis, s’élançant dans l’immense firmament, l’emporta au loin.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महोल्काम्: a great meteor/comet
• महोल्काम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + उल्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (mahā ulkā), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• दीप्यमानाम्: shining
• दीप्यमानाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दीप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), परस्मैपदी; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण to ताम्/सीताम्

• स्वतेजसा: by her own radiance
• स्वतेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (svasya tejasā), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• जहार: carried off
• जहार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आकाशम्: into the sky
• आकाशम्: Karma (कर्म) (gati/goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आविश्य: having entered
• आविश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• सीताम्: Sītā
• सीताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; apposition to ताम्

• वैश्रवणानुजः: the younger brother of Vaiśravaṇa (Rāvaṇa)
• वैश्रवणानुजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्रवण + अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vaiśravaṇasya anujaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

The younger brother of Vaisravana (Ravana), like a massive comet, carried Sita, who was glowing in the radiance of her own beauty, and entered the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa (Vaiśravaṇānuja)
• Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera) (by epithet)
• ākāśa (sky)

FAQs

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

It underscores that adharma can act violently and swiftly, yet cannot extinguish virtue: Sītā’s ‘tejas’ symbolizes moral and spiritual integrity that persists even when forcibly displaced.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa abducts Sītā and takes to the sky, carrying her away from the forest hermitage region.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s inner radiance (tejas) and steadfast purity—presented as an inherent quality, not dependent on circumstance.