Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 32

सीताविलापः—त्रिजटासान्त्वनं च

Sita’s Lament and Trijata’s Consolation

Devanagari script

प्रायेणगतसत्त्वानांपुरुषाणांगतायुषाम् ।दृश्यमानेषुवक्त्रेषुपरंभवतिवैकृतम् ।।।।

Transliteration

prāyeṇa gatasattvānāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ gatāyuṣām | dṛśyamāneṣu vaktreṣu paraṃ bhavati vaikṛtam ||

Translation

Обычно у людей, чья жизнь уже ушла и чья жизненная сила угасла, лицо — когда на него смотрят — обнаруживает явное искажение и безобразие.

Word by Word

• prāyeṇa: generally
• prāyeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial instrumental): 'generally/for the most part'

• gata-sattvānām: of those whose life-force is gone
• gata-sattvānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam (गम्)+क्त) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'whose vitality has gone'

• puruṣāṇām: of men
• puruṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• gata-āyuṣām: of those whose life has ended
• gata-āyuṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'whose lifespan has gone'

• dṛśyamāneṣu: when seen
• dṛśyamāneṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛśyamāna (कृदन्त; √dṛś (दृश्) + शानच्, कर्मणि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त: 'when (they are) being seen'

• vaktreṣu: in the faces
• vaktreṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• param: very, exceedingly
• param: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative): 'excessively/very'

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vaikṛtam: distortion, ugliness
• vaikṛtam: Karta/Predicate nominative (विधेय-प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भाववाचक

Context

"Normally when we see men who have ceased life and stopped breathing their features are unappealing."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (contextual)
• Lakṣmaṇa (contextual)

FAQs

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

Dharma encourages truth-seeking through careful observation: conclusions should rest on reliable signs rather than overwhelming emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker explains a general rule about the appearance of the dead to show that the present appearance of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa does not match death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Clear-minded prudence—testing claims against observable reality.