Shloka 25

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

Devanagari script

स त्वं सीतां समाचक्ष्व येन वा यत्र वा हृता।।3.71.25।।कुरु कल्याणमत्यर्थं यदि जानासि तत्त्वतः।

Transliteration

sa tvaṃ sītāṃ samācakṣva yena vā yatra vā hṛtā | kuru kalyāṇam atyarthaṃ yadi jānāsi tattvataḥ ||

Translation

پس تم سچ سچ بتاؤ کہ سیتا کس نے ہری، یا وہ کہاں لے جائی گئی؛ اگر تم حقیقتاً جانتے ہو تو ہمارے لیے یہ عظیم بھلائی کر دو۔

Word by Word

• saḥ: you (that one)
• saḥ: Sambodhyam/Addressed (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative 1st (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Sambodhyam/Addressed (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative 1st (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative 2nd (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• samācakṣva: tell; explain
• samācakṣva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• yena: by whom
• yena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative/relative pronoun (यद्), Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental 3rd (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, relative adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• hṛtā: was carried off
• hṛtā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative 1st (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with sītā

• kuru: do
• kuru: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• kalyāṇam: good; benefit
• kalyāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalyāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative 2nd (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• atyartham: very much; exceedingly
• atyartham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atyartha (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of degree (परिमाणवाचक)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Hetu/Śarta (हेतु/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conditional conjunction (शर्त)

• jānāsi: you know
• jānāsi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tattvataḥ: truly; in reality
• tattvataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (तत्त्वतः = 'in truth')

Context

If you really know where SIta has been kidnapped and by whom, tell me. You will bedoing a great service.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita
• Danu

FAQs

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

Dharma is aligned with satya: truthful information that helps restore justice and protect the innocent is a ‘great good’ (kalyāṇa).

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma directly requests Danu to disclose any true knowledge about Sītā’s abduction—both the abductor and the destination.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to truth-seeking and just action—Rāma asks for facts to pursue a righteous recovery.