Shloka 29

गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम्

The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī

Devanagari script

कच्चित् क्षितिभृतां नाथ दृष्टा सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी।।।।रामा रम्ये वनोद्देशे मया विरहिता त्वया।

Transliteration

kaccit kṣitibhṛtāṁ nātha dṛṣṭā sarvāṅgasundarī |

rāmā ramye vanoddeśe mayā virahitā tvayā ||

Translation

ข้าแต่เจ้าแห่งขุนเขา ท่านได้เห็นนางสีดาผู้มีอวัยวะงดงามทั่วทั้งกายหรือไม่ นางผู้ถูกพรากจากข้าพเจ้า ณ พงไพรอันรื่นรมย์แห่งนี้

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether, I hope
• कच्चित्: प्रश्न (interrogation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक निपात (interrogative particle)

• क्षितिभृताम्: of the mountain-bearers (mountains)
• क्षितिभृताम्: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षितिभृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• नाथ: O lord (of mountains)
• नाथ: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन; क्षितिभृताम् इति षष्ठीसम्बन्धः

• दृष्टा: seen (has she been seen?)
• दृष्टा: क्रिया/विधेय (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; रामा इति कर्तृपदस्य विधेयविशेषणम् (passive sense: 'has been seen')

• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी: beautiful in every limb
• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु अङ्गेषु सुन्दरी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; रामा इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• रामा: Rama (Sita)
• रामा: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• रम्ये: beautiful
• रम्ये: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; वनोद्देशे इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वनोद्देशे: in a region of the forest
• वनोद्देशे: अधिकरण
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (वनस्य उद्देशः); पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मया: from me / by me
• मया: अपादान/सम्बन्ध (from me; separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• विरहिता: separated
• विरहिता: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + रह् (धातु) → विरहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; रामा इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: कर्ता (agent of separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

Context

Searching for Sita at the landings of river Godavari, Lakshmana said to Rama, I am unable to find her at these landings.No one responds to my call.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• parvata (mountain)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as steadfast marital fidelity and responsibility: Rāma treats Sītā’s loss as an urgent moral duty, seeking her relentlessly and appealing for truthful knowledge.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, searching the forest after Sītā’s abduction, addresses a mountain as if it could testify, asking whether it has seen her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s devotion and determination—his unwillingness to abandon the search, grounded in commitment and truth-seeking (satya).