Shloka 19

सीताहरण

विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

बभूव जलदं नीलं भित्त्वा चन्द्र इवोदितः।सुललाटं सुकेशान्तं पद्मगर्भाभमव्रणम्।।।।शुक्लैस्सुविमलैर्दन्तै प्रभावद्भिरलङ्कृतम्।तस्यास्तद्विमलं वक्त्रमाकाशे रावणाङ्कगम्।।।।रुदितं व्यपमृष्टास्रं चन्द्रवत्प्रियदर्शनम्।सुनासं चारुताम्रोष्ठमाकाशे हाटकप्रभम्।।।।

Transliteration

babhūva jaladaṃ nīlaṃ bhittvā candra ivoditaḥ |

sulalāṭaṃ sukeśāntaṃ padmagarbhābham avraṇam ||

śuklaiḥ suvimalaḥ dantaiḥ prabhāvadbhir alaṅkṛtam |

tasyās tad vimalaṃ vaktram ākāśe rāvaṇāṅkagam ||

ruditaṃ vyapamṛṣṭāsraṃ candravat priyadarśanam |

sunāsaṃ cārutāmrōṣṭham ākāśe hāṭakaprabham ||

Translation

พระพักตร์อันบริสุทธิ์ของนาง—หน้าผากเรียบงาม มีเส้นผมงดงามโอบกรอบ ไร้มลทินสว่างดุจแก่นดอกบัว ประดับด้วยฟันขาวสะอาดเป็นประกาย—ประทับอยู่ในนภาบนตักทศกัณฐ์ แม้นางร่ำไห้และเช็ดน้ำตา พระพักตร์นั้นยังน่าชมดุจจันทร์ ราวกับจันทร์ผุดขึ้นฝ่าก้อนเมฆฝนสีครามเข้ม ด้วยจมูกได้รูปและริมฝีปากแดงอมทองงาม พระพักตร์นั้นส่องประกายดุจทองในท้องฟ้า

Word by Word

• बभूव: became/appeared
• बभूव: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जलदम्: a rain-cloud
• जलदम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/topic of description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; उपमेय (that which is compared)

• नीलम्: dark blue
• नीलम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifies जलदम्)

• भित्त्वा: having broken through
• भित्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having split/broken through’

• चन्द्रः: the moon
• चन्द्रः: उपमान
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; उपमान (standard of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-सूचक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• उदितः: risen
• उदितः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √उद्/√इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), प्रथमा एकवचन पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘risen’ (qualifies चन्द्रः)

• सुललाटम्: with a fine forehead
• सुललाटम्: विशेषण (of वक्त्रम् understood)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘सु’ + ‘ललाट’ = ‘fine-foreheaded’, विशेषण

• सुकेशान्तम्: with beautiful hair
• सुकेशान्तम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-केशान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘su’ + ‘keśānta’ (hairline/edge of hair) = ‘with beautiful hairline’, विशेषण

• पद्मगर्भाभम्: glowing like a lotus-heart
• पद्मगर्भाभम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म-गर्भ-आभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पद्मस्य गर्भः’ (lotus-interior) + ‘आभ’ (lustre) = ‘having lustre like lotus-interior’, विशेषण

• अव्रणम्: unblemished
• अव्रणम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-व्रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग: ‘without blemish/wound’, विशेषण

Context

Sita's face looked beautiful with her smooth forehead, shining hair and spotless complexion like the inside of a lotus, with clean, white, shining teeth, a nice nose and lovely red lips. She was continuously weeping and wiping her tears. Her face which was pleasing like the Moon on the lap of Ravana appeared as though the Moon was rising through dark clouds.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Ākāśa (sky)
• Candra (moon)
• Padma (lotus)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as an inner radiance that persists even when oppressed. The moon-through-cloud imagery suggests that truth and purity can be obscured by adharma but not extinguished.

What is the narrative situation?

While being carried away in the sky, Sītā weeps; the poet lingers on her face and compares its beauty—despite tears and captivity—to the moon emerging from dark clouds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfast purity and emotional sincerity: she grieves openly yet remains intrinsically radiant, reinforcing her role as a dharmic ideal.