Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 5, Shloka 24

सेनानिवेशः रामविलापश्च

Encampment on the Northern Shore; Rama’s Lament and Sandhyā

Devanagari script

कदा नु चारुबिम्बोष्ठं तस्याः पद्ममिवाऽननम् ।

ईषदुन्नम्य पास्यामि रसायनमिवातुरः ॥

Transliteration

kadā nu cārubimboṣṭhaṃ tasyāḥ padmamivānanam |

īṣadunnamya pāsyāmi rasāyanamivāturaḥ ||

Translation

Quand donc, en soulevant à peine son visage pareil au lotus, aux lèvres belles comme le fruit bimba, en boirai-je la douceur, tel un malade buvant l’élixir qui rend la vie ?

Word by Word

• सा: that (army)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वर्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'indeed/and then')

• नीलेन: by Nīla
• नीलेन: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• विधिवत्: according to proper procedure
• विधिवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'according to rule/ritually')

• स्व: own
• स्व: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-पूर्वपद (first member) in compound; 'own'

• आरक्षासु: in (their) guards/protective arrangements
• आरक्षासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासान्त-पद (compound-final member)

• समाहिता: was well-arranged/collected
• समाहिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सागरस्य: of the ocean
• सागरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• उत्तरे: on the northern
• उत्तरे: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) to 'तीरे'

• तीरे: shore/bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• साधु: well/properly
• साधु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रशंसार्थक/रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'well/properly')

• सेना: the army
• सेना: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• निवेशिता: was made to encamp/was stationed
• निवेशिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + विश् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: प्रयोज्यकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (causative past passive participle: 'caused to be lodged'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Lotus

FAQs

What metaphor does Rama use to describe his longing for Sita in this verse?

Rama compares himself to a sick person (āturaḥ) and Sita's presence (specifically kissing her) to a healing elixir (rasāyanam), emphasizing that she is the cure for his sorrow.

How does the poet describe Sita's physical features in this shloka?

Sita is described as having a face like a lotus (padmam iva ananam) and lips that resemble the red Bimba fruit (cāru bimba oṣṭham).