Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 33, Shloka 22

सरमा-सीता संवादः

Saramā Consoles Sītā; Preparations in Laṅkā

Devanagari script

सन्नाहजननीह्येषाभैरवाभीरु: भेरिका ।भेरीनादंचगम्भीरंशृणुतोयदनिःस्वनम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sannāhajananī hy eṣā bhairavā bhīru bherikā | bherīnādaṃ ca gambhīraṃ śṛṇu toyadaniḥsvanam ||

Translation

О робкая, этот грозный бой барабана рождает приготовления к битве; слушай его глубокий гул, подобный громыханию дождевых туч.

Word by Word

• सन्नाह-जननी: arousing readiness (for battle)
• सन्नाह-जननी: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्नाह (प्रातिपदिक) + जननी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies एषा भेरिका): 'producer of battle-preparedness'

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; explanatory/emphatic)

• एषा: this (drum)
• एषा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भैरवा: terrifying
• भैरवा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies एषा/भेरिका)

• भीरु: O timid one
• भीरु: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; address to Sita

• भेरिका: kettledrum; war-drum
• भेरिका: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेरिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to एषा

• भेरी-नादम्: the drum-sound
• भेरी-नादम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेरी (प्रातिपदिक) + नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of शृणु

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गम्भीरम्: deep; resonant
• गम्भीरम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies भेरीनादम्)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तोयद-अनिःस्वनम्: a rumble like rain-clouds
• तोयद-अनिःस्वनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोयद (प्रातिपदिक) + अनिःस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; appositional object to भेरीनादम्: 'sound like rain-clouds'

Context

"O Timid Sita! Listen to the deep penetrating sounds of drums like the rumbling of rain clouds signifying the preparations of the army."

Characters & Entities

• Saramā
• Sītā
• Drums (bherī/bherikā)

FAQs

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

Facing reality without panic supports dharma: Saramā encourages attentive understanding of events rather than fear-driven confusion.

What is the narrative situation?

Saramā interprets the booming drums as signs of full military readiness and explains their significance to Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reassuring wisdom—Saramā frames frightening sounds in an intelligible way to steady Sītā’s mind.