Shloka 3

सीताहरण

विलापः / The Lament at Jatāyu and the Abduction of Sītā

Devanagari script

नूनं राम न जानासि महद्व्यसनमात्मनः।धावन्ति नूनं काकुत्स्थं मदर्थं मृगपक्षिणः।।।।

Transliteration

nūnaṃ rāma na jānāsi mahadvyasanam ātmanaḥ |

dhāvanti nūnaṃ kākutsthaṃ madarthaṃ mṛga-pakṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

โอ้พระราม แน่แท้พระองค์ยังไม่ทรงรู้มหาวิบัติที่บังเกิดแก่พระองค์เอง โอ้เชื้อสายกกุทสถะ เพื่อข้าพเจ้า สัตว์ป่าและนกทั้งหลายย่อมวิ่งมาหาพระองค์ ราวกับจะมาบอกข่าวสิ่งที่เกิดแก่ข้าพเจ้า

Word by Word

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (निपात) of certainty

• राम: O Rāma
• राम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• जानासि: you know
• जानासि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• महत्-व्यसनम्: great disaster
• महत्-व्यसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat + vyasana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘great calamity’; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of ‘जानासि’

• आत्मनः: your (own)
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; ‘of yourself/your’

• धावन्ति: run
• धावन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of certainty

• काकुत्स्थम्: to Kakutstha (Rāma)
• काकुत्स्थम्: Sampradāna/Goal (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; addressed/goal of motion

• मत्-अर्थम्: for my sake
• मत्-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘for my sake’; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular used adverbially

• मृग-पक्षिणः: beasts and birds
• मृग-पक्षिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga + pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (द्वन्द्व) ‘animals and birds’; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; subject of ‘धावन्ति’

Context

The gem-studded anklet of Sita, looking like an orb of lightning, dropped with a gentle sound.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (implicit as speaker)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as unwavering fidelity and truthful concern: Sītā speaks directly and urgently to Rāma, emphasizing the reality of danger without deception, and implicitly affirming marital duty and mutual protection.

What is the narrative situation?

During Rāvaṇa’s abduction of Sītā, she calls out to Rāma, lamenting that he does not yet know the calamity unfolding and invoking the forest creatures as witnesses and messengers.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfastness and truthfulness under terror—she remains oriented toward Rāma and the moral order even while being forcibly taken.