Shloka 33

सीताविलापः

Sītā’s Lament over the Illusory Head and Bow

Devanagari script

इतिसदुःखसन्तप्ताविललापायतेक्षणा ।भर्तुश्शिरोधनुस्तत्रसमीक्ष्यचपुनःपुनः ।।6.32.33।।

Transliteration

iti sa-duḥkha-santaptā vilalāpa āyatīkṣaṇā |

bhartuḥ śiro dhanuś tatra samīkṣya ca punaḥ punaḥ ||6.32.33||

Translation

ดังนี้ นางสีดาผู้มีดวงตากว้าง ถูกความทุกข์อันหนักหน่วงแผดเผา จึงคร่ำครวญร่ำไห้; และมองซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่าไปยังศีรษะและคันศรของพระสวามี ณ ที่นั้น

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotation/statement marker (iti-nipāta)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• दुःखसन्तप्ता: tormented by sorrow
• दुःखसन्तप्ता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + santapta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (instrumental/causal sense): duḥkhena santaptā; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying 'sā'

• विललाप: lamented
• विललाप: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + lap (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• आयतेक्षणा: the wide-eyed (lady)
• आयतेक्षणा: Karta (कर्ता/subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyata (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: āyate īkṣaṇe yasyāḥ; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; epithet of Sītā

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म/object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म/object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; coordinated object with 'śiraḥ'

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (place adverb: there)

• समीक्ष्य: having looked at
• समीक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam + īkṣ (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/gerund): 'having looked at'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Repetition adverb

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Repetition adverb (iterated)

Context

Burning in sorrow, the broad eyed Sita gazing at the head of her husband and the bow again and again lamented.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates the human cost when dharma seems defeated: grief is portrayed not as weakness but as the emotional truth (satya) of love and duty under apparent catastrophe.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā repeatedly looks at the displayed tokens (head and bow) and laments, believing them to belong to Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Enduring devotion: her repeated gaze shows fixation on the beloved and the depth of her commitment.