Shloka 18

अशोकवनिकायां सीतादर्शनम्

Sita Seen in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

ततो मलिनसंवीतां राक्षसीभिस्समावृताम्।।।।उपवासकृशां दीनां निश्श्वसन्तीं पुनः पुनः।ददर्श शुक्लपक्षादौ चन्द्ररेखामिवामलाम्।।।।

Transliteration

tato malinasaṃvītāṃ rākṣasībhiḥ samāvṛtām |

upavāsakṛśāṃ dīnāṃ niśśvasantīṃ punaḥ punaḥ |

dadarśa śuklapakṣādau candrarekhām ivāmalām || 5.15.19 ||

Translation

Rồi chàng lại thấy nàng: khoác y phục lấm bẩn, bị các nữ rākṣasī vây quanh; vì tuyệt thực mà gầy mòn, khốn khổ, thở dài mãi không thôi—nhợt nhạt như vầng trăng non đầu kỳ trăng sáng.

Word by Word

• vimalaṃ: spotless/bright
• vimalaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• prāṅśu-bhāvatvāt: because of its tallness/loftiness
• prāṅśu-bhāvatvāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṅśu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāvatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause: ‘because of’)

• ullikhantam: as if scraping
• ullikhantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√likh (धातु) → ullikhant (शतृ-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त, विशेषण (‘scratching/etching’)

• iva: as if
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक

• ambaram: the sky
• ambaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (what is ‘scraped’)

Context

Then he beheld a lady surrounded by female demons. Clad in soiled clothes she looked dejected, emaciated through fasting and was sighing repeatedly. She appeared thin and pale like the crescent Moon at the beginning of the bright fortnight.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• Rākṣasīs (demonesses)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown through Sītā’s steadfast fidelity and moral resistance: though oppressed and weakened, she does not abandon truth and righteousness, embodying inner strength grounded in satya.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanuman finally beholds Sītā in the Ashoka Grove, guarded by rākṣasīs, suffering from captivity and austerity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s fortitude and purity (śīla, dhairya): she endures hardship without yielding to coercion.