Shloka 46

शरत्प्रवेशे रामविलापः तथा सुग्रीवप्रमादे लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम्

Autumn’s Onset: Rama’s Lament and Lakshmana Sent to Sugriva

Devanagari script

रात्रिश्शशाङ्कोदितसौम्यवक्त्रातारागणोन्मीलितचारुनेत्रा।ज्योत्स्नांशुकप्रावरणा विभातिनारीव शुक्लांशुकसंवृताङ्गी।।

Transliteration

rātriḥ śaśāṅkoditasaumyavaktrā tārāgaṇonmīlitacārunetrā |

jyotsnāṃśukaprāvaraṇā vibhāti nārīva śuklāṃśukasaṃvṛtāṅgī ||

Translation

रात्रिश्शशाङ्कोदितसौम्यवक्त्रातारागणोन्मीलितचारुनेत्रा। ज्योत्स्नांशुकप्रावरणा विभातिनारीव शुक्लांशुकसंवृताङ्गी॥

Word by Word

• rātriḥ: night
• rātriḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• śaśāṅka-udita-saumya-vaktrā: with a gentle face lit by the moon
• śaśāṅka-udita-saumya-vaktrā: Karta-anvaya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaśāṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + udita (कृदन्त; √ud 'उद्' क्त) + saumya (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; रात्रिः विशेषयति—'यस्याः वक्त्रं शशाङ्कोदितेन सौम्यम्' (whose face is gentle/beautiful due to moonrise)

• tārā-gaṇa-unmīlita-cāru-netrā: with lovely eyes opened by the stars
• tārā-gaṇa-unmīlita-cāru-netrā: Karta-anvaya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tārā (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + unmīlita (कृदन्त; ud-√mīl 'मील्' क्त) + cāru (प्रातिपदिक) + netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; रात्रिः विशेषयति—'यस्याः नेत्रे तारागणेन उन्मीलिते च चारु' (whose lovely eyes are opened by the host of stars)

• jyotsnā-aṃśuka-prāvaraṇā: clad in moonlight as a garment
• jyotsnā-aṃśuka-prāvaraṇā: Karta-anvaya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyotsnā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśuka (प्रातिपदिक) + prāvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; रात्रिः विशेषयति—'यस्याः प्रावरणं ज्योत्स्नांशुकम्' (whose covering is a robe of moonlight)

• vibhāti: shines/appears
• vibhāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√bhā (धातु; 'भा' to shine)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• nārī: a woman
• nārī: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (उपमान)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna-dyotaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्ययम्

• śukla-aṃśuka-saṃvṛta-aṅgī: with limbs covered in a white garment
• śukla-aṃśuka-saṃvṛta-aṅgī: Karta-anvaya
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśuka (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvṛta (कृदन्त; sam-√vṛ 'वृ' क्त) + aṅginī/aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; रात्रिः/नारी-उपमा विशेषणम्—'यस्याः अङ्गानि शुक्लांशुकेन संवृतानि' (whose body is covered with a white garment)

Context

'The night appears like a lady with a sweet face lit up by the rising Moon, her beautiful eyes opened up by stars, her body draped in the robe of white Moon light.

Characters & Entities

• śaśāṅka (Moon)

FAQs

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

The verse models purity and clarity: moonlight and stars symbolize illumination. Dharma is living in a way that makes one’s intentions ‘visible’—aligned with satya and inner cleanliness.

What is the narrative situation?

Autumn night is portrayed in heightened poetic imagery as Rama remains in contemplation during Sita’s absence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śauca (purity): clarity of mind and conduct, suggested by the ‘white garment’ of moonlight.