Shloka 11

सीतावृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् / Report of Sītā’s Condition and Tokens of Recognition

Devanagari script

दृष्टा मे राक्षसीमध्ये तर्ज्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः।।।।राक्षसीभिर्विरूपाभी रक्षिता प्रमदावने।

Transliteration

dṛṣṭā me rākṣasī-madhye tarjyamānā muhur muhuḥ |

rākṣasībhir virūpābhī rakṣitā pramadāvane ||

Translation

ഞാൻ അവളെ രാക്ഷസീകളുടെ നടുവിൽ കണ്ടു; വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ഭീഷണിപ്പെടുത്തപ്പെടുകയായിരുന്നു. ഭീകരവും വികൃതവുമായ രാക്ഷസീകൾ പ്രമദാവനത്തിൽ അവളെ കർശനമായി കാവൽ കാത്തിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

दृष्टाseen

मेby me / of me

राक्षसी-मध्येin the midst of ogresses

तर्ज्यमानाbeing threatened

मुहुः-मुहुःagain and again

राक्षसीभिःby ogresses

विरूपाभिःhideous (ones)

रक्षिताguarded

प्रमदावनेin the women’s grove (pleasure-garden)

Context

"I found her in the beautiful garden guarded by hideous ogresses threatening her again and again৷৷

Characters & Entities

Hanumān

Sītā

Rākṣasīs

FAQs

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

Condemnation of intimidation: coercion and threats are adharma; the verse highlights the moral urgency of rescuing the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān details Sītā’s guarded condition and the repeated threats she faces in the grove.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful witness (satya-sākṣya): Hanumān reports exactly what he saw, enabling righteous action.