Shloka 34

सीतान्वेषणविलापः

Rama’s Lament and Search for Sita

Devanagari script

मया विरहिता बाला रक्षसां भक्षणाय वै।सार्धेनेव परित्यक्ता भक्षिता बहुबान्धवा।।3.60.34।।

Transliteration

mayā virahitā bālā rakṣasāṃ bhakṣaṇāya vai | sārdheneva parityaktā bhakṣitā bahubāndhavā || 3.60.34 ||

Translation

เมื่อพรากจากพระองค์ นางเยาว์วัยนั้น—แม้มีญาติพี่น้องมาก—พระองค์ทรงนึกว่า ถูกฉุดไปเป็นอาหารของรากษส แล้วถูกทอดทิ้งประหนึ่งถูกกินไปครึ่งหนึ่ง

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular) — 'by me'

• विरहिता: separated (from me)
• विरहिता: विशेषण (Qualifier of बाला)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → विरहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे कृदन्तः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular), 'separated/left without'

• बाला: young woman / girl
• बाला: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Nominative singular) — subject

• रक्षसाम्: of the demons
• रक्षसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation to भक्षणाय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम् (Genitive plural) — 'of demons'

• भक्षणाय: for eating / for being devoured
• भक्षणाय: सम्प्रदान (Purpose/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; √भक्ष् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन (कृदन्त-निर्मित-भाववाचक))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Dative singular) — प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानार्थः 'for eating'

• वै: indeed / surely
• वै: अव्यय (Particle; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात/अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle) — emphasis/assurance

• सार्धेन: with half (left) / with a half
• सार्धेन: करण (Instrument; in simile construction with इव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्ध (प्रातिपदिक; 'with/along with/half')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular) — उपमान/सहकारार्थे 'with half (remaining)'

• इव: as if / like
• इव: अव्यय (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative particle) — 'as if/like'

• परित्यक्ता: abandoned / forsaken
• परित्यक्ता: विशेषण (Qualifier of बाला)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → परित्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular), 'abandoned'

• भक्षिता: devoured / eaten
• भक्षिता: विशेषण (Predicate adjective of बाला)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय) → भक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular), 'eaten/devoured'

• बहुबान्धवा: having many relatives
• बहुबान्धवा: विशेषण (Qualifier of बाला)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक) → बहुबान्धव (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमासः (बहवो बान्धवाः यस्याः सा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular), 'having many relatives'

Context

The young lady having many relations, forsaken by me, has been (perhaps) picked up by a demon for food and later abandoned half-eaten.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• rākṣasa

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as guardianship beyond social support: even if one has relatives, immediate protectors must not fail; Rāma’s lament shows the ethical weight he places on his own role.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues to imagine Sītā’s fate in gruesome terms, intensifying his urgency to search.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sense of duty and accountability—he interprets tragedy as a failure of protection rather than mere misfortune.