Shloka 29

नातन्त्री वाद्यते वीणा नाचक्रो वर्तते रथः।नापतिस्सुखमेधेत या स्यादपि शतात्मजा।।2.39.29।।

nātantrī vādyate vīṇā nācakro vartate rathaḥ |

nā patiḥ sukham edheta yā syād api śatātmajā ||2.39.29||

Uma vīṇā sem cordas não pode ser tocada; uma carruagem sem rodas não pode mover-se. Assim também, uma mulher sem esposo não floresce na felicidade, ainda que tenha cem filhos.

nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
atantrīstringless
atantrī:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota- + tantrī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘without strings’, qualifying vīṇā
vādyateis played
vādyate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vad (धातु; causative sense ‘to play’ in passive)
FormPresent (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person, Singular
vīṇālute/vīṇā
vīṇā:
Karta (कर्ता; of passive construction)
TypeNoun
Rootvīṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
acakraḥwheel-less
acakraḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota- + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘without wheels’, qualifying rathaḥ
vartatemoves/operates
vartate:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vṛt (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular
rathaḥchariot
rathaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootratha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
apatiḥa woman without a husband
apatiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roota- + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (used adjectivally for a woman), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; ‘husbandless’
sukhamhappiness
sukham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsukha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
edhetawould flourish
edheta:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√edh (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular
who (she)
:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormRelative pronoun (यद्), Feminine, Nominative, Singular
syātmight be
syāt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (धातु)
FormOptative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular
apieven if
api:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात), concessive ‘even if’
śatātmajāhaving a hundred sons
śatātmajā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśata + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘śataṃ ātmajāḥ yasyāḥ’ (having a hundred sons)

The mighty-armed king lost consciousness for a moment and in grief lamented, brooding only over Rama.

S
Sītā
K
Kauśalyā

FAQs

The verse asserts a traditional dharmic ideal of marital unity: the wife’s well-being is presented as inseparable from her husband’s presence and role. It uses concrete analogies to argue for the centrality of the marital bond.

Sītā speaks to Kauśalyā while affirming her commitment to Rāma and the values that define her understanding of wifely duty, in the context of Rāma’s impending forest exile.

Sītā’s steadfastness (niṣṭhā) and loyalty (pativratā-bhāva) are emphasized through her uncompromising identification with her husband’s fate.