Shloka 33

गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम्

The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī

Devanagari script

ततो दाशरथी राम उवाच च शिलोच्चयम्।मम बाणाग्निनिर्दग्धो भस्मीभूतो भविष्यसि।।।।असेव्यः सततं चैव निस्तृणद्रुमपल्लवः।

Transliteration

tato dāśarathī rāma uvāca ca śiloccayam |

mama bāṇāgni-nirdagdho bhasmībhūto bhaviṣyasi ||

asevyaḥ satataṁ caiva nistṛṇa-drumapallavaḥ ||

Translation

そのときダシャラタの子ラーマは岩山に言った。「我が矢の火に焼かれ、汝は灰となろう。常に人の寄るべき所ではなく、草も木も若芽も失うであろう。」

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Adverbial (काल/क्रम-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (ततस्)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb): 'ततः' = तस्मात् अनन्तरम् (thereafter/then)

• dāśarathī: Dasaratha’s son (Rama)
• dāśarathī: Karta (कर्ता) — उवाच इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (दाशरथि) [दशरथ-अपत्य/वंश्य]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); विशेषणरूपेण 'राम' इत्यस्य

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) — उवाच इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (राम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular)

• uvāca: said; spoke
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्) — 'ब्रू/वदने'
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परस्मैपदम्), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (perfect, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/ conjunction): 'and'

• śiloccayam: to the rocky mass / mountain
• śiloccayam: Karman (कर्म) — उवाच इत्यस्य (addressed object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā + uccaya (शिला + उच्चय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative singular); शिला-उच्चयः = शिलानां उच्चयः (heap/mass of rocks)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) — बाणाग्नि-सम्बन्धः
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive singular pronoun)

• bāṇāgninirdagdhaḥ: burnt by the fire of (my) arrows
• bāṇāgninirdagdhaḥ: Predicate adjective (विशेषण) — (त्वम्) इत्यस्य
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṇa + agni + nirdagdha (बाण + अग्नि + निर्दग्ध) [√dah (दह्) + नि + क्त]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle): 'निर्दग्ध' = well-burnt; बाणाग्निना निर्दग्धः = burnt by the fire of (my) arrows

• bhasmībhūtaḥ: reduced to ashes
• bhasmībhūtaḥ: Predicate adjective (विशेषण) — (त्वम्) इत्यस्य
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasmī + bhūta (भस्मी + भूत) [√bhū (भू) + क्त]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त: 'भूत' = become; भस्मी-भू = to become ashes (to be reduced to ashes)

• bhaviṣyasi: you will become / you will be
• bhaviṣyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू) — 'सत्तायाम्' (भवति)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (परस्मैपदम्), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (simple future, 2nd person singular, parasmaipada)

• asevyaḥ: unfit to be served/approached
• asevyaḥ: Predicate adjective (विशेषण) — (त्वम्) इत्यस्य
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + sevya (अ- + सेव्य) [√sev (सेव्) + यत्]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory): 'सेव्य' = fit to be served; 'असेव्य' = unfit to be served/approached

• satataṃ: always
• satataṃ: Adverbial (काल/नित्यत्व-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (सतत)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb): 'always, continually'

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/ conjunction): 'and'

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Emphasis particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (एव)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चय/अवधारण/particle): emphasis 'indeed/just/only'

• nistṛṇadrumapallavaḥ: devoid of grass, trees, and sprouts
• nistṛṇadrumapallavaḥ: Predicate adjective (विशेषण) — (त्वम्) इत्यस्य
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis- + tṛṇa + druma + pallava (निस्/नि: + तृण + द्रुम + पल्लव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative singular); निस्तृण-द्रुम-पल्लवः = तृण-द्रुम-पल्लव-रहितः (devoid of grass, trees, and sprouts/twigs)

Context

Rama, Dasaratha's son said to the mountain, The fire of my arrows will reduce you to ashes.You will have no grass, no tree, no twig. You will be unfit to be served any more.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Dāśarathi)
• Daśaratha
• bāṇa (arrows)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how grief can distort judgment; dharma calls for righteous action guided by truth and restraint, not destructive rage against the innocent or uninvolved.

What is the narrative situation?

After the mountain does not ‘show’ Sītā, Rāma escalates into a threat of burning it with arrow-fire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective intensity; simultaneously, it serves as a cautionary mirror about anger overpowering discernment.