Shloka 10

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Resolve under Threat

Devanagari script

नूनं स कालो मृगरूपधारीमामल्पभाग्यां लुलुभे तदानीम्।यत्रार्यपुत्रं विससर्ज मूढा रामानुजं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं च।।5.28.10।।

Transliteration

nūnaṁ sa kālo mṛga-rūpa-dhārī mām alpa-bhāgyāṁ lulubhe tadānīm | yatrārya-putraṁ visasarja mūḍhā rāmānujaṁ lakṣmaṇa-pūrvajaṁ ca || 5.28.10 ||

Translation

नूनं स एव कालो मृगरूपधारी मामल्पभाग्यां तदानीं लुलुभे। यत्र मूढा आर्यपुत्रं रामानुजं च विससर्ज॥

Word by Word

• नूनम्: surely, indeed
• नूनम्: सम्बन्ध/भाव-निर्देश (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (indeclinable of certainty)

• सः: he/that (one)
• सः: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masc. nominative singular)

• कालः: Time, fate
• कालः: कर्ता (agent; in apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masc. nominative singular)

• मृगरूपधारी: wearing the form of a deer
• मृगरूपधारी: कर्ता (agent; adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग + रूप + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक); √धृ (धातु) आधारार्थे
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masc. nominative singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier of कालः/सः)

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (accusative singular)

• अल्पभाग्याम्: unfortunate, of little fortune
• अल्पभाग्याम्: कर्म (object; adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (fem. accusative singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier of माम्—‘me, unfortunate’)

• लुलुभे: tempted, lured
• लुलुभे: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लुभ् (धातु) लोभे
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (3rd sg. perfect, parasmaipada)

• तदानीम्: then, at that time
• तदानीम्: अधिकरण (time locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदानीम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• यत्र: where, wherein
• यत्र: अधिकरण (place locus; relative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम्; सम्बन्धबोधकं (relative adverb: where/wherein)

• आर्यपुत्रम्: noble prince (son of a noble)
• आर्यपुत्रम्: कर्म (object of विससर्ज)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masc. accusative singular)

• विससर्ज: sent away, dismissed
• विससर्ज: क्रिया (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √सृज् (धातु) सर्गे/त्यागे
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect/past); प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम् (3rd sg. imperfect, parasmaipada)

• मूढा: deluded, foolish (woman)
• मूढा: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक; √मुह् धातु मोहने से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular); विशेषणम्/कर्तृपदं (as subject: ‘the deluded (woman)’)

• रामानुजम्: Rama’s younger brother (Lakshmana)
• रामानुजम्: कर्म (object; coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + अनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masc. accusative singular)

• लक्ष्मणपूर्वजम्: Lakshmana’s elder brother (Rama)
• लक्ष्मणपूर्वजम्: कर्म (object; coordinated)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण + पूर्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम् (masc. accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Context

"Verily, it is the spirit of the time that assumed the form of deer and tempted this unfortunate soul. It was foolish of me to send away, the sons of a noble king, Lakshmana and his elder brother.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• deer (mṛga)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse explores accountability and discernment: Sītā recognizes how delusion can lead to choices with grave consequences, urging vigilance in dharmic judgment.

What is the narrative situation?

In her grief after Rāvaṇa’s threats, Sītā recalls the moment of the golden-deer episode and blames fate (Kāla) and her own error for sending Lakṣmaṇa away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s honesty and self-scrutiny—she does not merely accuse others but examines her own actions in the light of truth.