Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततो मलिनसंवीतां राक्षसीभिस्समावृताम्।।5.15.18।।उपवासकृशां दीनां निश्श्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः।ददर्श शुक्लपक्षादौ चन्द्ररेखामिवामलाम्।।5.15.19।।

Transliteration

tato malinasaṃvītāṃ rākṣasībhiḥ samāvṛtām |

upavāsakṛśāṃ dīnāṃ niśśvasantīṃ punaḥ punaḥ |

dadarśa śuklapakṣādau candrarekhām ivāmalām || 5.15.19 ||

Translation

やがて彼は彼女を見た――汚れた衣をまとい、羅刹女たちに取り囲まれ、断食でやつれ、哀れにして幾度もため息をつく。白き半月の初めの月の弧のように、淡く清らかであった。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/कालवाचक (temporal adverb: ‘then/thereupon’)

• malina-saṃvītām: clad in soiled (garments)
• malina-saṃvītām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: malina (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (स्त्री-प्रत्ययितं, Sītā implied)

• rākṣasībhiḥ: by demonesses
• rākṣasībhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• samāvṛtām: surrounded
• samāvṛtām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√vṛ (धातु) → samāvṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP), विशेषण (‘surrounded’)

• upavāsa-kṛśām: emaciated by fasting
• upavāsa-kṛśām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (‘thin due to fasting’)

• dīnām: wretched
• dīnām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• niśśvasantīm: sighing
• niśśvasantīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-√śvas (धातु) → niśśvasant (शतृ-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त, विशेषण (‘sighing’)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (adverb: ‘again’)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śukla-pakṣa-ādau: at the beginning of the bright fortnight
• śukla-pakṣa-ādau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालवाचक-अधिकरण

• candra-rēkhām: a moon-crescent line
• candra-rēkhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + rēkhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान (object compared)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• amalām: pure/spotless
• amalām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (candra-rēkhām / Sītā)

Context

Then he beheld a lady surrounded by female demons. Clad in soiled clothes she looked dejected, emaciated through fasting and was sighing repeatedly. She appeared thin and pale like the crescent Moon at the beginning of the bright fortnight.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Rākṣasīs (demonesses)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown through Sītā’s steadfast fidelity and moral resistance: though oppressed and weakened, she does not abandon truth and righteousness, embodying inner strength grounded in satya.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman finally beholds Sītā in the Ashoka Grove, guarded by rākṣasīs, suffering from captivity and austerity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s fortitude and purity (śīla, dhairya): she endures hardship without yielding to coercion.