Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 26, Shloka 16

अयोध्याकाण्डे षड्विंशः सर्गः

Rama’s Departure and Sita’s Questions; Disclosure of Exile and Counsel on Courtly Conduct

Devanagari script

हस्ती चाग्रत श्श्रीमां स्तव लक्षणपूजितः।प्रयाणे लक्ष्यते वीर कृष्णमेघगिरि प्रभः।।।।

Transliteration

hastī cāgrataḥ śrīmāṃs tava lakṣaṇapūjitaḥ | prayāṇe lakṣyate vīra kṛṣṇameghagiri-prabhaḥ ||

Translation

Pourquoi, ô vaillant, ne voit-on pas en tête de ton départ l’éléphant de bon augure, honoré pour ses nobles marques, rayonnant tel un nuage sombre ou telle une montagne ?

Word by Word

• हस्ती: an elephant
• हस्ती: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: अधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• श्रीमान्: splendid/auspicious
• श्रीमान्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन

• लक्षण-पूजितः: honored for auspicious marks
• लक्षण-पूजितः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजित (कृदन्त, √पूज्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (लक्षणैः पूजित/पूज्य = honored for marks/auspicious features); भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रयाणे: on the journey
• प्रयाणे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), एकवचन

• लक्ष्यते: is seen/appears
• लक्ष्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• वीर: O hero
• वीर: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कृष्ण-मेघ-गिरि-प्रभः: having the lustre of a dark cloud/mountain
• कृष्ण-मेघ-गिरि-प्रभः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + मेघ (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कृष्णमेघगिरिवत् प्रभा यस्य/कृष्णमेघगिरिसदृशप्रभः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Context

How is it that the elephant, whose lustre resembles that of a mountain or a dark cloud and endowed with auspicious features is not seen leading your procession, O valiant one!

Characters & Entities

• elephant (hastī)

FAQs

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

Dharma is tied to legitimacy and auspicious order: royal insignia and omens are expected to accompany a rightful public transition of power.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā continues noting absent royal emblems that would normally lead Rāma if he were proceeding to coronation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s devoted concern and cultural literacy regarding auspicious signs and royal protocol.