Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 13

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament amid Rākṣasī Threats

Devanagari script

लोकप्रवादः सत्योऽयं पण्डितैः समुदाहृतः।अकाले दुर्लभो मृत्युः स्त्रिया वा पुरुषस्य वा।।5.25.12।।यदहमेवं क्रूराभी राक्षसीभिरिहार्दिता।जीवामि हीना रामेण मुहूर्तमपि दुःखिता।।5.25.13।।

Transliteration

yad aham evaṃ krūrābhī rākṣasībhir ihārditā |

jīvāmi hīnā rāmeṇa muhūrtam api duḥkhitā ||5.25.13||

Translation

Thế mà ta vẫn sống nơi đây, bị bọn La-sát nữ hung ác hành hạ; lìa xa Rāma, ta khổ não, dù chỉ trong một khoảnh khắc.

Word by Word

• यत्: since/that
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Clause linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Causal/relative particle (यत् = ‘since/that’; अव्ययीभाव-प्राय)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• क्रूराभिः: by cruel (ones)
• क्रूराभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies राक्षसीभिः

• राक्षसीभिः: by ogresses
• राक्षसीभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument; agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Plural (बहुवचन)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• अर्दिता: tormented
• अर्दिता: Pradhana-kriya (कर्मणि-प्रयोग/Passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्द् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त/PPP), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with अहम् (understood feminine speaker)

• जीवामि: I live
• जीवामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• हीना: bereft of/separated from
• हीना: Pradhana-kriya-puraka (विधेय/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of अहम्

• रामेण: from Rama
• रामेण: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative sense via instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Singular (एकवचन); used with ‘हीना’ = ‘separated from Rama’

• मुहूर्तम्: a moment
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); extent of time

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात-अव्यय), concessive/intensifier

• दुःखिता: sorrowful
• दुःखिता: Pradhana-kriya-puraka (विधेय/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective of अहम्

Context

'There is a famous popular saying among the learned that untimely death is not possible either for a woman or a man.It is true that I am living in this miserable condition, deprived of Rama's company and tormented by these cruel ogresses here. Living in such conditions even for a moment is impossible. But nobody dies an untimely death.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• rākṣasī (ogresses)

FAQs

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

It highlights the ethical weight of steadfastness: despite intense suffering and coercion, Sītā continues to live without abandoning dharma or truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Continuing her reflection, Sītā describes her present torment in Laṅkā and the pain of separation from Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Patient endurance (kṣamā/dhṛti) in adversity while maintaining fidelity.