Shloka 14

षष्टितमः सर्गः — Kausalyā’s Lament and Sumantra’s Consolation

Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life

Devanagari script

इदमेव स्मराम्यस्यास्सहसैवोपजल्पितम्।कैकेयी संश्रितं वाक्यं नेदानीं प्रतिभाति मा।।।।

Transliteration

idam eva smarāmy asyāḥ sahasaivopajalpitam |

kaikeyī-saṃśritaṃ vākyaṃ nedānīṃ pratibhāti mā ||

Translation

എനിക്ക് ഇത്രമാത്രം മാത്രമേ ഓർമ്മയുള്ളൂ—അവൾ പെട്ടെന്ന് കൈകേയിയെ സംബന്ധിച്ച് ചില വാക്കുകൾ ഉച്ചരിച്ചു; എന്നാൽ ആ വാക്കുകൾ ഇപ്പോൾ എനിക്ക് മനസ്സിലേക്കു വരുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• dhvaṃsayitvā: having dispelled
• dhvaṃsayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhvaṃs (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) + क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); √ध्वंस् 'to destroy/repel'; अर्थः 'having dispelled/warded off'

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोध (but/indeed)

• tat-vākyam: that statement
• tat-vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (तद् एव वाक्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• pramādāt: from inadvertence
• pramādāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative singular); हेतौ (because of inadvertence)

• paryupasthitam: that had arisen/occurred
• paryupasthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-upa√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); √स्था with उपसर्ग 'परि+उप'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with tat-vākyam)

• hlādanam: delightful
• hlādanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hlādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with vacanam)

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• sūtaḥ: the charioteer
• sūtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• devyāḥ: to the queen
• devyāḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी, एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to the queen)

• madhuram: sweet/pleasant
• madhuram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with vacanam)

• abravīt: said/spoke
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Imperfect-like past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

Context

Seeing villages, cities, trees of different kinds and courses of rivers, Sita is enquiring from Rama or Lakshmana about them. She feels as though she is sporting in the pleasuregarden just a krosa from Ayodhya.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• Sita
• Kaikeyi

FAQs

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

It points to responsible speech and truthful reporting: Sumantra avoids inventing details and admits the limits of memory, aligning with satya (truthfulness) as a dharmic duty.

What is the narrative situation?

While recounting the journey and Sītā’s conduct, Sumantra recalls that she said something about Kaikeyī but cannot presently remember the exact words.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and restraint—Sumantra chooses accuracy over speculation, even when speaking to a grieving queen.