Shloka 19

सप्तदशः सर्गः

Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

निष्प्रभां शोकसन्तप्तां मलसङ्कुलमूर्धजाम्।।।।क्षीणपुण्यां च्युतां भूमौ तारां निपतितामिव।

Transliteration

niṣprabhāṃ śokasantaptāṃ malasaṅkulamūrdhajām |

kṣīṇapuṇyāṃ cyutāṃ bhūmau tārāṃ nipatitām iva ||5.17.19||

Translation

അവൾ പ്രകാശമറ്റവളായി, ശോകത്താൽ ദഹിച്ചവളായി, പൊടിയും മലിനതയും ചേർന്ന് അലഞ്ഞ മുടിയോടെ; പുണ്യം ക്ഷയിച്ച് ഭൂമിയിലേക്കു വീണ നക്ഷത്രംപോലെ സീതയെ കാണപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• निष्प्रभाम्: devoid of lustre
• निष्प्रभाम्: विशेषण (of जनकात्मजाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शोकसन्तप्ताम्: tormented by grief
• शोकसन्तप्ताम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तप्त (कृदन्त; धातु तप्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः: शोकेन सन्तप्ता

• मलसङ्कुलमूर्धजाम्: whose hair was matted/filled with dirt
• मलसङ्कुलमूर्धजाम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक) + सङ्कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: मलेन सङ्कुलाः मूर्धजाः (केशाः) यस्याः सा

• क्षीणपुण्याम्: with exhausted merit (as if)
• क्षीणपुण्याम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण (कृदन्त; धातु क्षि) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: क्षीणं पुण्यं यस्याः सा

• च्युताम्: fallen/slipped down
• च्युताम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्युत (कृदन्त; धातु च्यु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• ताराम्: a star/meteor
• ताराम्: उपमान (Upamāna/उपमान) with इव
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निपतिताम्: fallen down
• निपतिताम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past active/PPP usage): निपतिता

• इव: like/as if
• इव: उपमावाचक (comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

Context

Shorn of lustre, unkempt hair filled with dust, she appeared like a meteor slipped and fallen on land, merits exhausted.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

The verse points to dharma as steadfast endurance under unjust suffering. Even when outer splendour is stripped away, inner truth and chastity remain intact.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān beholds Sītā’s weakened condition in the grove and understands the depth of her grief and deprivation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s fortitude and fidelity: her hardship does not erase her commitment to righteousness and to Rāma.