Shloka 10

सीताप्रत्यय-प्रदानम्

Sita’s Recognition and Reassurance by the Envoy

Devanagari script

अर्हसे च कपिश्रेष्ठ मया समभिभाषितुम्।यद्यसि प्रेषितस्तेन रामेण विदितात्मना।।।।

Transliteration

arhase ca kapi-śreṣṭha mayā samabhibhāṣitum |

yady asi preṣitas tena rāmeṇa viditātmanā ||

Translation

ഹേ കപിശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! നിന്നോടു സംസാരിക്കുന്നത് എനിക്കു യുക്തമാണ്—സ്വാത്മസ്വരൂപം അറിഞ്ഞ സ്വസംയമനായ ശ്രീരാമൻ നിന്നെ അയച്ചതാണെങ്കിൽ.

Word by Word

• अर्हसे: you deserve/are fit
• अर्हसे: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कपिश्रेष्ठ: O best of monkeys
• कपिश्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कपीनाम् श्रेष्ठः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: कर्तृ (Kartṛ of infinitive-action/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• समभिभाषितुम्: to converse
• समभिभाषितुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अभि-भाष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), ‘to speak/converse’

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• असि: you are
• असि: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रेषितः: sent
• प्रेषितः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate to त्वम् (understood)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: कर्तृ (Kartṛ in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: कर्तृ (Kartṛ in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; apposition to तेन

• विदितात्मना: by the self-knowing (Rama)
• विदितात्मना: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदित (प्रातिपदिक; √विद्) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि समास (vidita ātmā yasya saḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; qualifying रामेण

Context

"O best of monkeys! As you have been sent by Rama, the knower of the self, it is proper for me to converse with you.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Hanuman
• Rama

FAQs

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

Responsible trust: dharma requires discernment—Sītā will engage only if the messenger’s claim aligns with Rāma’s known integrity.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā sets a condition for dialogue, indicating she will speak properly with Hanumān if he is truly Rāma’s envoy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discrimination) and maryādā (propriety): even in distress, Sītā maintains careful standards of verification and conduct.