Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 32

सीताविलापः—त्रिजटासान्त्वनं च

Sita’s Lament and Trijata’s Consolation

Devanagari script

प्रायेणगतसत्त्वानांपुरुषाणांगतायुषाम् ।दृश्यमानेषुवक्त्रेषुपरंभवतिवैकृतम् ।।।।

Transliteration

prāyeṇa gatasattvānāṃ puruṣāṇāṃ gatāyuṣām | dṛśyamāneṣu vaktreṣu paraṃ bhavati vaikṛtam ||

Translation

عموماً جن مردوں کی عمر رخصت ہو چکی ہو اور جن کی حیات کی قوت بجھ گئی ہو، اُن کے چہروں میں—جب دیکھا جائے—شدید بگاڑ اور بدصورتی نمایاں ہو جاتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• prāyeṇa: generally
• prāyeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial instrumental): 'generally/for the most part'

• gata-sattvānām: of those whose life-force is gone
• gata-sattvānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam (गम्)+क्त) + sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'whose vitality has gone'

• puruṣāṇām: of men
• puruṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• gata-āyuṣām: of those whose life has ended
• gata-āyuṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'whose lifespan has gone'

• dṛśyamāneṣu: when seen
• dṛśyamāneṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛśyamāna (कृदन्त; √dṛś (दृश्) + शानच्, कर्मणि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त: 'when (they are) being seen'

• vaktreṣu: in the faces
• vaktreṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• param: very, exceedingly
• param: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative): 'excessively/very'

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vaikṛtam: distortion, ugliness
• vaikṛtam: Karta/Predicate nominative (विधेय-प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भाववाचक

Context

"Normally when we see men who have ceased life and stopped breathing their features are unappealing."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (contextual)
• Lakṣmaṇa (contextual)

FAQs

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

Dharma encourages truth-seeking through careful observation: conclusions should rest on reliable signs rather than overwhelming emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker explains a general rule about the appearance of the dead to show that the present appearance of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa does not match death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Clear-minded prudence—testing claims against observable reality.