Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 20

सीताव्यथा

वर्णनम् / Sītā’s Distress and Rāvaṇa’s Attempt at Coercive Allurement

Devanagari script

एकया दीर्घया वेण्या शोभमानामयत्नतः।नीलया नीरदापाये वनराज्या महीमिव।।।।

Transliteration

ekayā dīrghayā veṇyā śobhamānām ayatnataḥ |

nīlayā nīradāpāye vanarājyā mahīm iva ||

Translation

ଏକମାତ୍ର ଦୀର୍ଘ ବେଣୀରେ, ଅଯତ୍ନରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶୋଭା ପାଉଥିଲା; ବର୍ଷା ଶାନ୍ତ ହେବା ପରର ଧରା ପରି—ବନରାଜିର ଏକ ନୀଳ ରେଖାରେ ଚିହ୍ନିତ।

Word by Word

• ekayā: with one/single
• ekayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• dīrghayā: long
• dīrghayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• veṇyā: by/with a braid (of hair)
• veṇyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śobhamānām: shining/beautiful
• śobhamānām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śubh (धातु) + śobhamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present middle participle)

• ayatnataḥ: carelessly, without effort
• ayatnataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = 'without effort/carelessly'

• nīlayā: dark/blue
• nīlayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nīrada-apāye: at the clearing/end of clouds (end of rains)
• nīrada-apāye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīrada (प्रातिपदिक) + apāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nīradasya apāyaḥ)

• vana-rājyā: with a line/row of trees
• vana-rājyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + rājī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vanasya rājī)

• mahīm: the earth/land
• mahīm: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Upamana-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक निपात

Context

She looked woeful seated on the bare earth like the broken branch of a tree cut and fallen down on the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

True worth is not dependent on display; dharma and inner nobility can remain evident even when one is deprived of normal care and adornment.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet continues describing Sītā’s condition in captivity: neglected outwardly, yet still naturally radiant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tejas with simplicity—quiet dignity that does not seek ornamentation to prove value.