Shloka 26

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं क्रूरमात्मापहरणोपमम्।।5.53.26।।वैदेही शोकसन्तप्ता हुताशनमुपागमत्।

Transliteration

śrutvā tad vacanaṃ krūram ātmāpaharaṇopamam | vaidehī śoka-santaptā hutāśanam upāgamat ||5.53.26||

Translation

ആ ക്രൂരവാക്കുകൾ കേട്ടപ്പോൾ—സ്വന്തം അപഹരണത്തോളം വേദനിപ്പിക്കുന്നവ—ശോകത്തിൽ ദഹിച്ച വൈദേഹി അഗ്നിദേവനെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചു (ആഹ്വാനിച്ചു).

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, Absolutive/Gerund)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वचनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वचनम्: statement/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रूरम्: cruel
• क्रूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वचनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आत्म-अपहरण-उपमम्: comparable to (her) abduction
• आत्म-अपहरण-उपमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहरण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘आत्मनः अपहरणस्य उपमम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वचनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वैदेही: Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शोक-सन्तप्ता: tormented by grief
• शोक-सन्तप्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्तप्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (‘शोकेन सन्तप्ता’); कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) ‘सन्तप्त’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वैदेही’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हुताशनम्: Fire (Agni)
• हुताशनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुताशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपागमत्: approached / invoked
• उपागमत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः ‘उप’

Context

Distressed on hearing the news which was as cruel as her own abduction Sita started burning with grief and invoked the fire-god.

Characters & Entities

• Vaidehī (Sītā)

FAQs

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

In distress, dharma seeks refuge in truth and divine witness: Sītā turns to Agni, associated with purity and satya, rather than yielding to helplessness.

What is the narrative situation?

After hearing that Hanumān is being tortured, Sītā is overwhelmed and immediately appeals to Agni for protection.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate fidelity: Sītā’s heart responds to another’s suffering as intensely as her own.