Shloka 43

सीताविलापः

Sītā’s Lament over the Illusory Head and Bow

Devanagari script

शीघ्रंभेरीनिनादेनस्फुटंकोणाहतेनमे ।समानयध्वंसैन्यानिवक्तव्यंचनकारणम् ।।6.32.43।।

Transliteration

śīghraṃ bherī-ninādena sphuṭaṃ koṇāhatena me | samānayadhvaṃ sainyāni vaktavyaṃ ca na kāraṇam ||6.32.43||

Translation

“വേഗം—എന്റെ ഭേരികൾ ഉറച്ച പ്രഹരങ്ങളോടെ തീക്ഷ്ണമായി മുഴക്കുക; സൈന്യങ്ങളെ കൂട്ടിച്ചേർക്കുക; കാരണമൊന്നും വെളിപ്പെടുത്തരുത്.”

Word by Word

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (शीघ्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; kriyāviśeṣaṇa (adverb)

• bhērī-ninādena: by the sound of drums
• bhērī-ninādena: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhērī (भेरी प्रातिपदिक) + nināda (निनाद प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, tṛtīyā, ekavacana; instrument ‘by drum-sound’

• sphuṭam: clearly, loudly
• sphuṭam: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sphuṭa (स्फुट प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; kriyāviśeṣaṇa (adverb)

• koṇa-āhatena: with (drums) struck by drumsticks
• koṇa-āhatena: Karaṇa (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṇa (कोण प्रातिपदिक; ‘drumstick/striker’ in context) + āhata (आहत कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, tṛtīyā, ekavacana; instrument ‘with (drums) struck by drumsticks’

• me: my
• me: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī/ caturthī enclitic form; here ṣaṣṭhī (genitive) ekavacana ‘my’ (speaker’s)

• samānayadhvam: assemble/bring together
• samānayadhvam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-nī (सम्+आ+नी धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• sainyāni: the troops/armies
• sainyāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sainya (सैन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, dvitīyā, bahuvacana; object of samānayadhvam

• vaktavyam: to be told
• vaktavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्/तव्य); napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana; impersonal injunction ‘is to be said’ (with na)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha (negation particle)

• kāraṇam: reason/cause
• kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (कारण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, dvitīyā, ekavacana; object with vaktavyam (negated): ‘the reason is not to be told’

Context

The Rakshasa king who resembled the god of death spoke to the heads of army force and well-wishers who stood close by.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• drums (bherī)

FAQs

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

The verse raises the tension between satya (truth) and tactical secrecy: in war, limited disclosure can be a strategic necessity, yet dharma demands such secrecy serve protection and right purpose—not mere aggression.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa orders immediate mobilization: sound the war-drums, gather the army, and keep the cause confidential.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Operational discipline—swift coordination and controlled information in military action.