Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 27

सप्तदशः सर्गः

Hanuman Beholds Sita in the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

मलिनेन तु वस्त्रेण परिक्लिष्टेन भामिनीम्।।5.17.26।।संवृतां मृगशाबाक्षीं ददर्श हनुमान् कपिः।तां देवीं दीनवदनामदीनां भर्तृतेजसा।।5.17.27।।रक्षितां स्वेन शीलेन सीतामसितलोचनाम्।

Transliteration

tāṃ devīṃ dīnavadanām adīnāṃ bhartṛtejasā | rakṣitāṃ svena śīlena sītām asitalocanām || 5.17.27 ||

Translation

Ngài thấy Sītā cao quý: gương mặt cúi buồn, song lòng không hề gục ngã nhờ uy quang của phu quân; nàng được gìn giữ bởi chính hạnh hạnh của mình—người thiếu phụ mắt đen vẫn được bảo hộ bởi đức hạnh.

Word by Word

• harṣa-jāni: born of joy
• harṣa-jāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: harṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + jan (धातु) → jāni (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'born of joy'; qualifying aśrūṇi

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject (Hanuman)

• aśrūṇi: tears
• aśrūṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; object of mumuce

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; referring to Sita

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; 'having seen'

• madira-īkṣaṇām: intoxicating-eyed
• madira-īkṣaṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madira (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'with intoxicating eyes'; qualifying tām (Sita)

• mumuce: shed/let fall
• mumuce: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 'released/shed'

• hanumān: Hanuman
• hanumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hanumat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to saḥ

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभूत)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक निपात (salutation word)

• cakre: performed/made
• cakre: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 'did/made' (performed salutation)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• rāghavam: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of namaḥ-cakre (saluted Rama)

Context

Seeing the fawn-eyed Sita, a frightened female deer looking all around (as if for some help) sighing hot breath, was as though burning the trees having tender leaves with her hot sighs. She looked like a collective mass of all sorrows, a high tide of suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān
• Rāma (implied by bhartṛ-)
• Lakṣmaṇa (not in verse; appears nearby in narrative salutations)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as inner protection: even when external safety is absent, steadfast conduct (śīla) and truthfulness (satya) function as a moral shield.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān observes Sītā closely and understands that her sorrow is visible, but her spirit and fidelity remain unshaken.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s chastity and integrity (śīla), and her resilience sustained by faith in Rāma.