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Shloka 23

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

शोकार्तानामनाथानामेवं विपरिधावताम्।।3.71.23।।कारुण्यं सदृशं कर्तुमुपकारे च वर्तताम्।

śokārtānām anāthānām evaṃ viparidhāvatām | kāruṇyaṃ sadṛśaṃ kartum upakāre ca vartatām ||

ശോകത്തിൽ പീഡിതരായി ആശ്രയമില്ലാതെ ഇങ്ങനെ അലയുന്നവർക്കു കരുണ കാണിക്കുകയും ഉപകാരസേവയിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നതാണ് യുക്തവും ധർമ്മസമ്മതവും.

śoka-ārtānāmof those afflicted by sorrow
śoka-ārtānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootśoka (प्रातिपदिक) + ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
anāthānāmof the helpless
anāthānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootanātha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)
evamthus
evam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, manner adverb (प्रकारवाचक)
viparidhāvatāmof those running about in confusion
viparidhāvatām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeVerb
Rootvi-pari-dhāv (धातु)
FormPresent active participle (शतृ) used substantively; Genitive 6th (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन) (common gender)
kāruṇyamcompassion
kāruṇyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkāruṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative 2nd (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
sadṛśamfitting; appropriate
sadṛśam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative 2nd (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies kāruṇyam
kartumto do; to show
kartum:
Kriyārtha (क्रियार्थ)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (धातु)
FormInfinitive (तुमुन्)
upakārein helping; in assistance
upakāre:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootupakāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative 7th (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)
vartatāmlet them engage; let them act
vartatām:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvṛt (धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Creatures like you may help those who, like orphans, run here and there, stricken with sorrow.

R
Rama
D
Danu
L
Lakshmana

FAQs

Dharma is expressed as compassion-in-action: those capable should aid the grief-stricken and unprotected, turning empathy into concrete assistance.

Rāma appeals for help in his distressed condition, framing assistance as the appropriate response to sufferers who lack refuge.

Karunā (compassion) and upakāra (beneficent help) as active virtues rather than mere sentiment.