Shloka 37

अशोकवनिकायां सीतादर्शनम्

Sita Seen in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

मलपङ्कधरां दीनां मण्डनार्हाममण्डिताम्।प्रभां नक्षत्रराजस्य कालमेघैरिवावृताम्।।।।

Transliteration

malapaṅkadharāṃ dīnāṃ maṇḍanārhām amaṇḍitām | prabhāṃ nakṣatrarājasya kālameghair ivāvṛtām ||

Translation

Souillée de poussière et de boue, misérable, digne pourtant d’ornements mais sans parure—elle était comme l’éclat de la lune voilé par des nuées sombres.

Word by Word

• mala-paṅka-dharām: covered with dirt and mud
• mala-paṅka-dharām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mala (प्रातिपदिक) + paṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + dharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (bearing dirt and mud)

• dīnām: wretched
• dīnām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• maṇḍana-arhām: worthy of ornaments
• maṇḍana-arhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maṇḍana (प्रातिपदिक) + arhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (worthy of adornment)

• amaṇḍitām: unadorned
• amaṇḍitām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amaṇḍita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकार-पूर्वक विशेषण (unadorned)

• prabhām: radiance
• prabhām: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपमान

• nakṣatra-rājasya: of the king of stars (moon)
• nakṣatra-rājasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (of the king of stars = moon)

• kāla-meghaiḥ: by dark clouds
• kāla-meghaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + megha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (dark clouds) करण

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• āvṛtām: covered
• āvṛtām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āvṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛ धातु-निष्ठा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (covered)

Context

Covered with dirt and mud and shorn of adornments even though she deserved them, she looked wretched like the radiance of the Moon muffled by dark clouds.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Moon (nakṣatrarāja—metaphorical)

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment aligned with Satya: outward neglect can conceal inner purity; Dharma recognizes intrinsic worth beyond appearance.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān sees Sītā’s neglected, soiled state and compares her hidden radiance to the moon behind clouds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s undiminished inner splendor—her virtue remains even when external signs of royalty are absent.