Shloka 26

Devanagari script

दुःखशोकसमाविष्टौ वैदेहीहरणार्दितौ । जम्मतुर्दण्डकारण्यं दक्षिणेन परंतपौ,सीताका अपहरण हो जानेसे दोनों भाइयोंको बड़ी वेदना हुई। वे दुःख और शोकमें डूब गये। फिर शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले श्रीराम और लक्ष्मण दण्डकारण्यसे दक्षिण दिशाकी ओर चल दिये

Transliteration

duḥkhaśokasamāviṣṭau vaidehīharaṇārditau | jagmatur daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ dakṣiṇena paraṃtapau ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, and stricken by the abduction of Vaidehī (Sītā), the two tormentors of foes—Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa—set out from the Daṇḍaka forest, proceeding southward. The passage underscores steadfast action in the face of personal loss: sorrow is acknowledged, yet duty-driven resolve continues.

Word by Word

दुःखशोकसमाविष्टौimmersed in sorrow and grief

वैदेहीहरणार्दितौafflicted by the abduction of Vaidehī (Sītā)

जग्मतुःthey went

दण्डकारण्यंto the Daṇḍaka forest

दक्षिणेनsouthwards / by the southern direction

परंतपौthe scorcher(s) of foes (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Vaidehī (Sītā)

Rāma

Lakṣmaṇa

Daṇḍakāraṇya (Daṇḍaka forest)

Dakṣiṇa diś (southern direction)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when overwhelmed by grief, one should not abandon purposeful action aligned with dharma. The verse presents sorrow as real and human, yet emphasizes continuing the righteous course—here, the determined pursuit following Sītā’s abduction.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Sītā (Vaidehī) has been abducted, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are plunged into grief. Nevertheless, they depart from the Daṇḍaka forest and move southward, beginning the next phase of their search and pursuit.