Shloka 68

अभिज्ञानप्रदानम्

The Token of Recognition (Chūḍāmaṇi) and the Crow Episode Recalled

Devanagari script

रावणेनोपरुद्धां मां निकृत्य पापकर्मणा।त्रातुमर्हसि वीर त्वं पातालादिव कौशिकीम्।।5.38.68।।

Transliteration

rāvaṇenoparuddhāṃ māṃ nikṛtya pāpakarmaṇā |

trātum arhasi vīra tvaṃ pātālād iva kauśikīm ||5.38.68||

Translation

रावणेन पापकर्मणा निकृत्योपरोद्धा अहं; हे वीर, त्वमेव मां त्रातुमर्हसि—यथा पातालाद् कौशिकी उद्धृता।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• vastra-gatam: kept in the cloth
• vastra-gatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (प्रातिपदिक; √gam धातोः क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘vastre gataṃ’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘cūḍāmaṇim’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• muktvā: having taken out
• muktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having released/taken out’

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• cūḍāmaṇim: the crest-jewel
• cūḍāmaṇim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cūḍāmaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• śubham: auspicious
• śubham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘cūḍāmaṇim’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• pradeyaḥ: to be given
• pradeyaḥ: Vidhi (विधि/कर्तव्यता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + √dā (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्/तव्यत्-भाव्यकृदन्तः (gerundive): ‘to be given’ (elliptic: ‘ayam maṇiḥ pradeyaḥ’)

• rāghavāya: to Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदानम्

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (इति-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• sītā: Sita
• sītā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hanumate: to Hanuman
• hanumate: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदानम्

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; ‘gave’

Context

"I will hold on to life only for a month. Beyond, I will not survive. I swear by truth. You may tell this to Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Pātāla
• Kauśikī
• Hanumān

FAQs

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

The kṣatriya-duty of protection and justice: rescuing the oppressed from unlawful captivity is presented as a righteous obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā describes her captivity under Rāvaṇa’s wrongdoing and urges that Rāma rescue her, using a traditional comparison (Kauśikī rescued from Pātāla).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s protective righteousness (dharma of a hero-king), and Sītā’s steadfast appeal grounded in justice.