Shloka 16

Virādha-saṃvādaḥ — Encounter with Virādha in the Daṇḍakāraṇya

Aranya Kanda, Sarga 2

Devanagari script

सीता प्रवेपतोद्वेगात् प्रावाते कदली यथा।।3.2.15।।तां दृष्ट्वा राघवः सीतां विराधाङ्कगतां शुभाम्।अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं वाक्यं मुखेन परिशुष्यता।।3.2.16।।

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ sītāṃ virādhāṅkagatāṃ śubhām |

abravīl lakṣmaṇaṃ vākyaṃ mukhena pariśuṣyatā ||3.2.16||

Translation

വിരാധന്റെ മടിയിൽ ഇരിക്കുന്ന ശുഭയായ സീതയെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ രാഘവൻ ആകസ്മികാഘാതത്തിൽ മുഖം വരണ്ടുപോയി; അവൻ ലക്ഷ്മണനോട് ഈ വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Object of ‘दृष्ट्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषणम् (Gerund)

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• सीताम्: Sītā
• सीताम्: कर्म (Object; appositional to ‘ताम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• विराध-अङ्क-गताम्: gone into Virādha’s lap / in Virādha’s lap
• विराध-अङ्क-गताम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘सीताम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विराध (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (विराधस्य अङ्के गता)

• शुभाम्: auspicious/beautiful
• शुभाम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• लक्ष्मणम्: to Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मणम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient; to Lakṣmaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• वाक्यम्: words
• वाक्यम्: कर्म (Object of ‘अब्रवीत्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• मुखेन: with (his) face/mouth
• मुखेन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्

• परिशुष्यता: with (his) face drying up / parched
• परिशुष्यता: भाव-हेतु/अवस्था (State/attendant circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + शुष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्तः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/भावे (instrumental of attendant circumstance: ‘while becoming parched’)

Context

Seeing the auspicious Sita in the lap of Viradha shaken out of anxiety, like a plantain tree in a strong wind, Rama with his throat parched said to Lakshmana:

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Virādha
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

The kingly and marital duty to protect the innocent—especially one’s spouse—appears as an immediate moral imperative; Rama’s distress underscores responsibility rather than indifference.

What is the narrative situation?

Virādha has seized Sītā; Rama sees her in the demon’s lap and, shaken, turns to Lakṣmaṇa to respond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s protective commitment and moral sensitivity: he reacts intensely to Sītā’s dishonor and danger, showing steadfast guardianship.