Shloka 20

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

Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life

Devanagari script

गजं वा वीक्ष्य सिंहं वा व्याघ्रं वा वनमाश्रिता।नाऽहारयति सन्त्रासं बाहू रामस्य संश्रिता।।।।

Transliteration

gajaṃ vā vīkṣya siṃhaṃ vā vyāghraṃ vā vanam āśritā |

nāhārayati santrāsaṃ bāhū rāmasya saṃśritā ||

Translation

വനത്തിൽ വസിക്കുമ്പോഴും ആനയെയോ സിംഹത്തെയോ കടുവയെയോ കണ്ടാലും അവൾ ഭയപ്പെടുന്നില്ല—ശ്രീരാമന്റെ ഭുജങ്ങളിൽ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നതിനാൽ।

Word by Word

• gajam: elephant
• gajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• vīkṣya: having seen
• vīkṣya: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having seen’

• siṃham: lion
• siṃham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• vyāghram: tiger
• vyāghram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे (to the forest)

• āśritā: having resorted to
• āśritā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśritā (कृदन्त, √śri/श्रि with ā-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having resorted’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• āhārayati: brings about, produces
• āhārayati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु) with ā-
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• santrāsam: fear
• santrāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: santrāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bāhū: arms
• bāhū: Karma (कर्म/आश्रय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• saṃśritā: having taken refuge
• saṃśritā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃśritā (कृदन्त, √śri/श्रि with sam-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having taken refuge (in)’

Context

'Turn back your chariot immediately and take me to the Dandaka forest. If I do not follow them, I shall enter the world of Yama'.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama
• Forest (vana)
• Elephant (gaja)
• Lion (siṃha)
• Tiger (vyāghra)

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma as mutual protection and trust within righteous companionship: fear is overcome through refuge in a protector committed to duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra reassures Kausalya that Sita remains unafraid even amid forest dangers because she is with Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage grounded in trust—Sita’s steadiness and Rama’s protective strength.