Valmiki Ramayana 5.16.29 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 29

षोडशः सर्गः (Sarga 16): Hanumān’s Recognition of Sītā and Renewed Lament

Devanagari script

क्षतिक्षमा पुष्करसन्निभाक्षी या रक्षिता राघवलक्ष्मणाभ्याम्।सा राक्षसीभिर्विकृतेक्षणाभिः संरक्ष्यते सम्प्रति वृक्षमूले।।5.16.29।।

Transliteration

kṣatikṣamā puṣkarasannibhākṣī yā rakṣitā rāghavalakṣmaṇābhyām |

sā rākṣasībhir vikṛtekṣaṇābhiḥ saṃrakṣyate samprati vṛkṣamūle ||5.16.29||

Translation

क्षतिक्षमा पुष्करसन्निभाक्षी या रक्षिता राघवलक्ष्मणाभ्याम्। सा राक्षसीभिर्विकृतेक्षणाभिः संरक्ष्यते सम्प्रति वृक्षमूले॥

Word by Word

• kṣati-kṣamā: earth-like in patience
• kṣati-kṣamā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: 'kṣitivat kṣamā' (earth-like in forbearance)

• puṣkara-sannibha-akṣī: lotus-eyed
• puṣkara-sannibha-akṣī: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक) + sannibha (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'puṣkarasannibhe akṣiṇī yasyāḥ sā' (she whose eyes are lotus-like)

• yā: she who
• yā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rakṣitā: protected
• rakṣitā: Karma (कर्म/कर्मणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय, कर्मणि), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāghava-lakṣmaṇābhyām: by Raghava and Lakshmana
• rāghava-lakṣmaṇābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Dual (द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: 'rāghavaś ca lakṣmaṇaś ca'

• sā: that (woman)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rākṣasībhiḥ: by she-demons
• rākṣasībhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vikṛta-īkṣaṇābhiḥ: with hideous looks
• vikṛta-īkṣaṇābhiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'vikṛte īkṣaṇe yāsāṃ tāḥ' (those whose looks are hideous)

• saṃrakṣyate: is guarded
• saṃrakṣyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); passive sense/contextual (कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ)

• samprati: now/presently
• samprati: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samprati (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• vṛkṣa-mūle: at the root of a tree
• vṛkṣa-mūle: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'vṛkṣasya mūle'

Context

"The top branches of Ashoka trees bent down with blossoms and the Moon rising with thousands of cool rays at the end of winter (when spring sets in) beholding which she should be delighted intensfy her sorrow."

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Raghava (Rama)
• Lakshmana
• Rakshasis (ogresses)
• Tree (vṛkṣa)

FAQs

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

It contrasts righteous protection with unrighteous captivity, implying a dharmic duty to rescue and defend the innocent against adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman observes Sītā in confinement, watched by rākṣasīs, and recalls that she once lived under the protection of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s kṣamā (forbearance), likened to the earth’s tolerance.