Shloka 253

Dyumatsena’s Restoration and Sāvitrī’s Disclosure of Yama’s Boons (आरण्यकपर्व, अध्याय २८२)

Devanagari script

ददृशे स्वसिता स्निग्धा काली व्यालीव मूर्थनि । अच्छी तरह रोती हुई भामिनी सीताके मस्तकपर बँधी हुई स्निग्ध, असित एवं विशाल वेणी काली नागिनके समान दिखायी देती थी

Transliteration

dadṛśe svasitā snigdhā kālī vyālīva mūrdhani |

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Upon her head it could be seen—dark, glossy, and thick—her braid, appearing like a black she-serpent. The image underscores Sītā’s sorrow and vulnerability, while also hinting at her inner strength and chastity: even in grief, her dignity remains intact, and the narrative invites reverence for steadfast virtue under suffering.

Word by Word

• ददृशे: was seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, singular, Ātmanepada

• स्वसिता: very dark/blackish
• स्वसिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वसिता
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• स्निग्धा: smooth, glossy
• स्निग्धा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• काली: black (braid/lock; lit. 'the black one')
• काली: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काली
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• व्यालीव: like a serpent
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्याल + इव

• मूर्धनि: on the head
• मूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Sītā
• braid (veṇī)
• serpent (vyālī)