Shloka 24

सीताप्रत्यय-प्रदानम्

Sita’s Recognition and Reassurance by the Envoy

Devanagari script

कच्चिदक्षौहिणीं भीमां भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः।ध्वजिनीं मन्त्रिभिर्गुप्तां प्रेषयिष्यति मत्कृते।।।।

Transliteration

kaccid akṣauhiṇīṃ bhīmāṃ bharato bhrātṛ-vatsalaḥ | dhvajinīṃ mantribhir guptāṃ preṣayiṣyati mat-kṛte ||

Translation

സഹോദരസ്നേഹത്തിൽ നിഷ്ഠനായ ഭരതൻ, എന്റെ നിമിത്തം മന്ത്രിമാർ കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ധ്വജിനിയോടുകൂടിയ ഭയങ്കര അക്ഷൗഹിണീ സൈന്യത്തെ അയയ്ക്കുമോ?

Word by Word

• kaccit: I hope; is it the case?
• kaccit: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative particle (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय), expressing anxious hope: "I wonder/hopefully"

• akṣauhiṇīm: an akṣauhiṇī army
• akṣauhiṇīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣauhiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhīmām: formidable
• bhīmām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying akṣauhiṇīm

• bharataḥ: Bharata
• bharataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• bhrātṛvatsalaḥ: devoted to his brother
• bhrātṛvatsalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhrātṛ-vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: bhrātṛ (brother) + vatsala (affectionate); adjective qualifying bharataḥ

• dhvajinīm: army (bannered host)
• dhvajinīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvajinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; appositional to akṣauhiṇīm

• mantribhiḥ: by ministers
• mantribhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• guptām: protected/guarded
• guptām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gupta (कृदन्त; √gup रक्षणे)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying dhvajinīm/akṣauhiṇīm

• preṣayiṣyati: will send
• preṣayiṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √preṣ (धातु; प्रेषणे)
• Form: Causative future (णिच् + लृट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• matkṛte: for my sake
• matkṛte: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mad-kṛte (अव्ययीभाव; mad + kṛte)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound functioning as indeclinable; sense: "for me" (mad = my; kṛte = for the sake of)

Context

"Will Bharata, the devoted brother, send his formidable army of one akshavhini protected by ministers for my cause? I trust he will. (Akshauhini = 109350 foot soldiers + 65610 horse soldiers + 21860 elephants soldiers on chariot)

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rāma
• Akṣauhiṇī (army)
• Ministers (mantrin)

FAQs

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

Shared responsibility in dharma: family and state institutions (ministers, armies) are to be mobilized for righteous protection and the restoration of justice.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā imagines the practical means of her rescue, asking whether Bharata will support Rāma with organized royal force.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s fraternal devotion and dutiful readiness to support righteousness without personal ambition.