Shloka 21

सीताविलापः

Sītā’s Lament over the Illusory Head and Bow

Devanagari script

संश्रुतंगृह्णतापाणिंचरिष्यामीतियत्त्वया ।स्मरतन्ममकाकुत्स्थनयमामपिदुःखिताम् ।।6.32.21।।

Transliteration

saṃśrutaṃ gṛhṇatā pāṇiṃ cariṣyāmīti yat tvayā |

smara tan mama kākutstha naya mām api duḥkhitām ||6.32.21||

Translation

“โอ้กากุตสถะ โปรดระลึกถึงถ้อยสัญญาเมื่อพระองค์ทรงจับมือข้าพเจ้า ว่า ‘เราจักเดินไปด้วยกัน’ ขอทรงพาข้าพเจ้า ผู้เศร้าโศกนี้ ไปตามหนทางเดียวกันด้วยเถิด”

Word by Word

• संश्रुतम्: the promise (made)
• संश्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'promise' (thing promised)

• गृह्णता: while holding
• गृह्णता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental absolute-like: 'while taking/holding'

• पाणिम्: hand
• पाणिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चरिष्यामि: I will go/live (with you)
• चरिष्यामि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: None (अकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotative particle

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to संश्रुतम्

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental 'by you'

• स्मर: remember
• स्मर: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• काकुत्स्थ: O Kakutstha
• काकुत्स्थ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काकुत्स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• नय: lead (me)
• नय: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: None (अकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (emphasis/addition)

• दुःखिताम्: sorrowful
• दुःखिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies माम्

Context

"O Kakutstha! while you held my hand (at the time of marriage) you promised that you will be with me and likewise promised to take me, a (wretched one) with you to the other world. Remembering that I am sad."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (Kākutstha)

FAQs

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

Satya in marital vows: Sītā appeals to the truth-binding nature of the marriage promise, treating it as a moral commitment that should not be broken even by death.

What is the narrative situation?

Believing Rāma to be dead, Sītā recalls the hand-taking (pāṇigrahaṇa) and the pledge of shared journey, pleading not to be left behind.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truth-oriented devotion—Sītā’s love is framed not merely as emotion, but as fidelity to a sacred pledge.