Shloka 37

सीतया लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम् — Sita urges Lakshmana to seek Rama

The crisis of the ‘distressed voice’

Devanagari script

गोदावरीं प्रवेक्ष्यामि विना रामेण लक्ष्मण।अबन्धिष्येऽथवा त्यक्ष्ये विषमे देहमात्मनः।।3.45.37।।

Transliteration

godāvarīṁ pravekṣyāmi vinā rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇa | abandhiṣye ’thavā tyakṣye viṣame deham ātmanaḥ || 3.45.37 ||

Translation

โอ ลักษมณ์ ปราศจากพระรามแล้ว ข้าจะกระโดดลงแม่น้ำโกทาวารี หรือผูกคอตาย หรือกระโดดจากที่สูงชันเพื่อปลิดชีพตนเอง

Word by Word

• lakṣmaṇena: by Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇena: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus’)

• uktā: addressed, spoken to
• uktā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे ‘having been spoken to’

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• rudantī: crying
• rudantī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘crying’

• janakātmajā: Janaka's daughter
• janakātmajā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka-ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: जनकस्य आत्मजा

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: ततः-शब्दः अव्ययवत् (adverb: ‘then/thereupon’)

• vākyam: words, speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• tīvram: harsh, intense
• tīvram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) vākyam-शब्दस्य

• bāṣpa-pariplutā: overwhelmed with tears
• bāṣpa-pariplutā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa + pariplutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषसदृशः (sense: ‘with/covered by tears’), विशेषण sā-शब्दस्य

Context

Self-composed Lakshmana with joined palms saluted her with great reverence.And then, turning towards her again and again, left for Rama.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē pañjacatvāriṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fortyfifth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Godāvarī

FAQs

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

Sītā asserts pativratā-dharma (exclusive marital fidelity) so absolutely that life without Rāma seems religiously meaningless to her, even though the speech arises from extreme distress.

What is the narrative situation?

Attempting to force Lakṣmaṇa to go after Rāma, Sītā threatens self-destruction if left without Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Single-minded devotion to one’s spouse (steadfastness), expressed here in a tragic, desperate form.