Shloka 26

सीतान्वेषणविलापः

Rama’s Lament and Search for Sita

Devanagari script

किं धावसि प्रिये दूरे दृष्टासि कमलेक्षणे।वृक्षैराच्छाद्य चात्मानं किं मां न प्रतिभाषसे।।3.60.26।।

Transliteration

kiṁ dhāvasi priye dūre dṛṣṭāsi kamalekṣaṇe | vṛkṣair ācchādya cātmānaṁ kiṁ māṁ na pratibhāṣase || 3.60.26 ||

Translation

हे प्रिये कमलेक्षणे! तू दूर का धावतेस? मी तुला पाहिले आहे. झाडांच्या आड स्वतःला लपवून मला उत्तर का देत नाहीस?

Word by Word

• किम्: why
• किम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्ययप्रयोग (interrogative: why/what)

• धावसि: you run
• धावसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (2nd person singular)

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• दूरे: far away
• दूरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (locative used adverbially: far away)

• दृष्टा: seen
• दृष्टा: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate with 'asi')
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

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

• कमलेक्षणे: O lotus-eyed one
• कमलेक्षणे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (कमलम् इव ईक्षणे यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• वृक्षैः: with trees
• वृक्षैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• आच्छाद्य: having covered
• आच्छाद्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + chad (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having covered)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• आत्मानम्: yourself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative singular)

• किम्: why
• किम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्ययप्रयोग (why)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• प्रतिभाषसे: you reply/speak back
• प्रतिभाषसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (2nd person singular)

Context

O lotus- eyed darling, why are you running away? I have already seen you. Why are you hiding behind trees and not replying to me?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (Maithilī, implied)
• Trees (vṛkṣa)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is the sanctity of marital bond—Rāma’s mind clings to Sītā as the rightful partner, showing that loyalty persists even when circumstances distort perception.

What is the narrative situation?

Overwhelmed by separation, Rāma momentarily imagines Sītā nearby and speaks to her as though she is hiding among the trees.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Deep affection and constancy: his love does not turn into anger at her; it becomes pleading and yearning.