Valmiki Ramayana 3.52.1 — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 52, Shloka 1

सीताहरण

विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

सा तु ताराधिपमुखी रावणेन समीक्ष्य तम्।गृध्रराजं विनिहतं विललाप सुदुःखिता।।।।

Transliteration

sā tu tārādhipamukhī rāvaṇena samīkṣya tam |

gṛdhrarājaṃ vinihataṃ vilalāpa suduḥkhitā ||

Translation

చంద్రవదన సీత రావణునిచే హతుడైన ఆ గృధ్రరాజును చూసి అత్యంత దుఃఖంతో విలపించింది।

Word by Word

• सा: she (Sītā)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular (pronoun)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• तारा-अधिप-मुखी: moon-faced (woman)
• तारा-अधिप-मुखी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tārā + adhipa + mukhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) ‘she whose face is like the lord of stars (moon)’; Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• रावणेन: by Rāvaṇa
• रावणेन: Kartṛ-karaṇa/Agent-instrument (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• समीक्ष्य: having seen
• समीक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having seen/observed’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• गृध्र-राजम्: the vulture-king
• गृध्र-राजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘king of vultures/birds’; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• विनिहतम्: slain/struck down
• विनिहतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-ni-√han (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifies ‘गृध्रराजम्’

• विललाप: lamented
• विललाप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√lap (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सु-दुःखिता: deeply sorrowful
• सु-दुःखिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + duḥkhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) intensifier ‘very grieved’; Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifies ‘सा’

Context

Sita,whose face was like the lord of the stars (Moon), saw Jatayu, king of birds, struck down by Ravana, and lamented in extreme grif :

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Jatāyu (Gṛdhrarāja)

FAQs

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

To recognize and mourn righteousness harmed by adharma is itself a moral act; lament here becomes truthful witness (satya) to sacrifice.

What is the narrative situation?

A new chapter opens with Sītā seeing Jatāyu felled due to Rāvaṇa’s violence and beginning her lament.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya-informed compassion: Sītā faces the reality of loss and honors Jatāyu’s dharmic act through lament.