Shloka 1

सीतया लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम् — Sita urges Lakshmana to seek Rama

The crisis of the ‘distressed voice’

Devanagari script

आर्तस्वरं तु तं भर्तुर्विज्ञाय सदृशं वने।उवाच लक्ष्मणं सीता गच्छ जीनीहि राघवम्।।3.45.1।।

Transliteration

ārtasvaraṁ tu taṁ bhartur vijñāya sadṛśaṁ vane | uvāca lakṣmaṇaṁ sītā gaccha jānīhi rāghavam ||3.45.1||

Translation

เมื่อสีตาได้ยินในพงไพรเสียงร้องทุกข์ที่คล้ายพระสุรเสียงของพระสวามี นางจึงกล่าวแก่พระลักษมณ์ว่า “ไปเถิด จงไปสืบดูพระราฆวะ (พระราม) ว่าเกิดสิ่งใดขึ้น”

Word by Word

• आर्त-स्वरम्: a distressed cry
• आर्त-स्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक) + svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘distressed sound’); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• विज्ञाय: having recognized
• विज्ञाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having recognized/known’

• सदृशम्: similar
• सदृशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘ārtasvaram’)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणम्: to Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

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

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• जानीहि: find out/know
• जानीहि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• राघवम्: Rama
• राघवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

On hearing the voice in distress and recognising that it was similar to her husband's voice, Sita said to Lakshmana, 'Go and find out Rama's whereabouts'.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds spousal concern and responsibility: upon sensing possible danger to Rāma, Sītā urges immediate action to ascertain the truth and render help, reflecting a dharmic impulse to respond to suffering and protect loved ones.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā hears a distress-cry resembling Rāma’s voice in the forest (a deceptive cry associated with the golden deer episode) and instructs Lakṣmaṇa to go investigate Rāma’s condition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s devoted attentiveness and urgency—her sensitivity to Rāma’s welfare and readiness to act when she believes he may be in danger.