Shloka 21

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनषष्टितमः सर्गः

Maricha’s Mimic Cry and the Rama–Lakshmana–Sita Confrontation

Devanagari script

एवं ब्रुवाणं सौमित्रिं रामस्सन्तापमोहितः।अब्रवीद्दुष्कृतं सौम्य तां विना यत्त्वमागतः।।।।

Transliteration

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ saumitriṃ rāmaḥ santāpa-mohitaḥ | abravīd duṣkṛtaṃ saumya tāṃ vinā yat tvam āgataḥ ||

Translation

เมื่อเสามิตรีกล่าวดังนั้น พระรามผู้หลงมัวด้วยความโศกจึงตรัสว่า “ดูลักษมณะผู้สุภาพ การที่เจ้ามาที่นี่โดยละนางไว้ เป็นการกระทำที่ผิด”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in that way
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• ब्रुवाणम्: speaking (him)
• ब्रुवाणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle, Parasmaipada), नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative singular neuter)

• सौमित्रिम्: Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā)
• सौमित्रिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative singular)

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• सन्तापमोहितः: deluded/overcome by grief
• सन्तापमोहितः: Kartṛviśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: santāpa + mohita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सन्तापेन मोहितः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• दुष्कृतम्: a wrong deed
• दुष्कृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣkṛta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• सौम्य: O gentle one
• सौम्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative singular)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative singular)

• विना: without
• विना: Apādāna/Viśeṣaṇa (अपादान/वियोगार्थ-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अभावार्थक उपपद (indeclinable preposition), सामान्यतः द्वितीयया सह (governs accusative)

• यत्: since, because
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (conjunctional relative), हेत्वर्थे/यतोऽर्थे (since/because)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Pronoun, Nominative singular)

• आगतः: (have) come
• आगतः: Kriyā (क्रिया; predicate with implied 'asi')
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used predicatively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

Context

To Lakshmana thus reporting, Rama, overcome with grief, said,(Even then) O noble brother! your coming here, leaving her behind, is a wrong step taken.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)
• Sītā (implied as 'her')

FAQs

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

Dharma is accountability to one’s assigned duty: even under pressure, abandoning the person entrusted to one’s care is treated as a serious lapse.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa reaches Rāma; Rāma, distressed, responds that Lakṣmaṇa should not have left Sītā alone.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s seriousness about duty and protection—he evaluates actions by responsibility, even while overwhelmed by grief.