Shloka 30

मायामृगप्रकरणम्

The Illusory Deer Episode: Ravana and Maricha at Rama’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नेव ततः काले वैदेही शुभलोचना।।3.42.30।।कुसुमावचयव्यग्रा पादपानभ्यवर्तत।

Transliteration

tasminn eva tataḥ kāle vaidehī śubhalocanā | kusumāvacayavyagrā pādapān abhyavartata || 3.42.30 ||

Translation

അന്നേ സമയത്ത് ശുഭനേത്രയായ വൈദേഹി പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ ശേഖരിക്കുന്നതിൽ തിരക്കോടെ വൃക്ഷങ്ങളിലേക്കു സമീപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• tasmin: at that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘in that’

• eva: just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (just/indeed)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय/तदस्)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (from then/thereafter)

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• vaidehī: Vaidehi (Sita)
• vaidehī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper noun epithet of Sītā)

• śubhalocanā: having auspicious eyes
• śubhalocanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha + locanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (śubhā locanā yasyāḥ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of vaidehī)

• kusumāvacayavyagrā: busy in gathering flowers
• kusumāvacayavyagrā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kusuma + avacaya + vyagra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (kusumāvacaye vyagrā), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pādapān: trees
• pādapān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• abhyavartata: approached/came near
• abhyavartata: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Context

A lady with beautiful teeth and lips, Sita saw the deer having silver and mineral coloured hair on the body. She gazed at the animal with wonder and joy and love.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• forest (araṇya)
• trees

FAQs

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

It reflects simple dharmic living in exile—contentment and orderly domestic conduct even under hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā moves about the forest collecting flowers, setting the stage for her noticing the extraordinary deer.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Graceful simplicity and diligence—Sītā’s composed, household-oriented attentiveness during forest life.