Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 4

अभिज्ञानवृत्तान्त-प्रत्यायनम्

Token of Recognition and the Crow–Brahmāstra Episode

Devanagari script

पर्यायेण च सुप्तस्त्वं देव्यङ्के भरताग्रज।पुनश्च किल पक्षी स देव्या जनयति व्यथाम्।।।।

Transliteration

paryāyeṇa ca suptas tvaṃ devy-aṅke bharatāgraja |

punaś ca kila pakṣī sa devyā janayati vyathām ||

Translation

اے بھرت کے بڑے بھائی، جب دیوی آرام فرما رہی تھیں تو تم دیوی کی گود میں سوئے تھے؛ اور وہ پرندہ پھر، کہتے ہیں، دیوی کے لیے تکلیف کا سبب بنا۔

Word by Word

• paryāyeṇa: in turn; alternately
• paryāyeṇa: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paryāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), तृतीया (Instr), एकवचन (sg); adverbial instr. ‘in turn/at intervals’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• suptaḥ: slept
• suptaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: svap (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन (sg)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन (sg)

• devy-aṅke: on (her) lap
• devy-aṅke: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), सप्तमी (Loc), एकवचन (sg); तत्पुरुषः—‘देव्याः अङ्कः’ (on the lady’s lap)

• bharatāgraja: O elder brother of Bharata
• bharatāgraja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक) + agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), सम्बोधन (Voc), एकवचन (sg); तत्पुरुषः—‘भरतस्य अग्रजः’

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kila: indeed; as is said
• kila: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: श्रुत्यर्थक/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक निपात (particle: it is said/indeed)

• pakṣī: the bird
• pakṣī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन (sg)

• saḥ: that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन (sg)

• devyā: to the lady (Sita)
• devyā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), तृतीया (Instr), एकवचन (sg)

• janayati: produces; causes
• janayati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg), परस्मैपद

• vyathām: pain
• vyathām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन (sg)

Context

"O Bharata's brother, when Sita awoke from sleep you slept on her lap. The same crow again hurt her.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (devī)
• Bharata

FAQs

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

Dharma of protection: the righteous husband/king is reminded of his duty to safeguard the vulnerable and respond to harm with just action.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā recalls the crow (Kākāsura) episode to identify herself and evoke Rāma’s protective resolve through a shared memory.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s truth-based recollection as proof and appeal; Rāma’s expected virtue of guardianship and justice.