Shloka 18

सीताहरण

विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

तस्यास्तत्सुनसं वक्त्रमाकाशे रावणाङ्कगम्।न रराज विना रामं विनालमिव पङ्कजम्।।।।

Transliteration

tasyās tat sunasaṃ vaktram ākāśe rāvaṇāṅkagam |

na rarāja vinā rāmaṃ vinālam iva paṅkajam ||

Translation

พระพักตร์งามจมูกได้รูปของนาง ซึ่งอยู่สูงในนภาบนตักทศกัณฐ์ มิได้ผ่องพรายเมื่อปราศจากพระราม ดุจดอกบัวไร้ก้านฉะนั้น

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग-सम्बन्ध (refers to feminine possessor: ‘of her’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd) एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• सुनसम्: beautiful-nosed
• सुनसम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of वक्त्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-नास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘सु’ (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + ‘नास’ (nose) = ‘सु-नास’ (beautiful-nosed), विशेषण

• वक्त्रम्: face
• वक्त्रम्: अधिकरण (Locative context) / विषय (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• रावण-अङ्क-गम्: resting in Ravana's lap
• रावण-अङ्क-गम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of वक्त्रम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘रावणस्य अङ्कः’ (Rāvaṇa’s lap) + ‘ग’ (gone/being in) = ‘in Rāvaṇa’s lap’

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• रराज: shone
• रराज: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विना: without
• विना: अपादान/वियोग (Separation/without)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable) governing द्वितीया (Accusative)

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: अपादान (Ablatival sense with विना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘विना’ इत्यस्य उपपद-सम्बन्ध

• विनालम्: without a stalk
• विनालम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of पङ्कजम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘वि’ (without/separated) + ‘नाल’ (stalk) = ‘without stalk’, विशेषण

• इव: like
• इव: उपमान (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• पङ्कजम्: lotus
• पङ्कजम्: उपमान (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; उपमान (object of comparison)

Context

Sita's face with her beautiful nose on Ravana's lap and not on Rama's, shone no more like a lotus without its stalk.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Lotus (paṅkaja)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores maryādā and fidelity: Sītā’s rightful relationship with Rāma is portrayed as organic and life-giving, like a lotus and its stalk—separation is a moral and emotional rupture.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā is in the sky on Rāvaṇa’s lap; the poet notes that her radiance is diminished because she is separated from Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s unwavering devotion to Rāma (pativratā-bhāva), expressed through the imagery of lost radiance in separation.