Shloka 31

षोडशः सर्गः (Sarga 16): Hanumān’s Recognition of Sītā and Renewed Lament

Devanagari script

अस्या हि पुष्पावनताग्रशाखाः शोकं दृढं वै जनयन्त्यशोकाः।हिमव्यपायेन च शीतरश्मि रभ्युत्थितो नैकसहस्ररश्मि:।।5.16.31।।

Transliteration

asyā hi puṣpāvanatāgraśākhāḥ śokaṃ dṛḍhaṃ vai janayanty aśokāḥ |

himavyapāyena ca śītaraśmir abhyutthito naikasahasraraśmiḥ ||5.16.31||

Translation

彼女にとって、花の重みに枝先を垂れるアショーカの木々は、かえって堅い悲しみを生むばかりである。冬が去れば、冷ややかな光の月も、千の光を放つ昇る太陽も、その嘆きをいよいよ募らせる。

Word by Word

• asyāḥ: of her
• asyāḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), causal/emphatic (हि)

• puṣpa-avanata-agra-śākhāḥ: branches with tips bent by blossoms
• puṣpa-avanata-agra-śākhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + avanata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + śākhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'puṣpaiḥ avanatāni agrāṇi yāsāṃ tāḥ śākhāḥ' (branches whose tips are bent by flowers)

• śokam: sorrow
• śokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• dṛḍham: firm/intense
• dṛḍham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); adjective to śokam

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (वै-निपात)

• janayanti: produce/cause
• janayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• aśokāḥ: Aśoka trees
• aśokāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• hima-vyapāyena: by the passing of winter/cold
• hima-vyapāyena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hima (प्रातिपदिक) + vyapāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'himasya vyapāyaḥ' (disappearance of cold/snow)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• śīta-raśmiḥ: the cool-rayed one (Moon)
• śīta-raśmiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīta (प्रातिपदिक) + raśmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'śītāḥ raśmayaḥ yasya saḥ' (cool-rayed = Moon)

• abhyutthitaḥ: has risen
• abhyutthitaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + ut + sthā (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त-प्रत्यय), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• na-eka-sahasra-raśmiḥ: the many-thousand-rayed one (Sun)
• na-eka-sahasra-raśmiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: na (अव्यय) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + raśmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'na eka-sahasraṃ raśmīnām yasya saḥ' = having not just one thousand rays (i.e., many-thousand-rayed Sun)

Context

"Just as river Ganga is not agitated by the rain-bearing clouds, this Sita is not perturbed as she is aware of the prowess of Rama and might of Lakshmana.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Moon
• Sun

FAQs

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

It teaches sensitivity toward suffering: even pleasant surroundings can deepen grief for the afflicted; dharma requires attentive care, not superficial consolation.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman observes the blossoming Aśoka grove and the seasonal beauty, noting that these ordinarily joyful signs only sharpen Sītā’s sorrow in separation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s unwavering emotional truth (satya of feeling) in love and separation; she does not feign ease amid pain.