Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 15

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament amid Rākṣasī Threats

Devanagari script

भर्तारं तमपश्यन्ती राक्षसीवशमागता।सीदामि खलु शोकेन कूलं तोयहतं यथा।।5.25.15।।

Transliteration

bhartāraṃ tam apaśyantī rākṣasī-vaśam āgatā | sīdāmi khalu śokena kūlaṃ toyahataṃ yathā || 5.25.15 ||

Translation

Không thấy phu quân của mình, lại rơi vào quyền lực của bọn La-sát-nữ, ta thật sự chìm trong sầu khổ—như bờ sông bị dòng nước cuốn xói mòn.

Word by Word

• भर्तारम्: husband/lord
• भर्तारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun referring to Rama

• अपश्यन्ती: not seeing/finding
• अपश्यन्ती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ-√पश् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (कृत्: शतृ), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); ‘not seeing’

• राक्षसीवशम्: into the power/control of ogresses
• राक्षसीवशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसी-वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• आगता: having come/fallen into
• आगता: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (कृत्: क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); predicate of ‘I’

• सीदामि: I sink/collapse
• सीदामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात-अव्यय)

• शोकेन: with/through grief
• शोकेन: Karana (करण/Cause-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Singular (एकवचन)

• कूलम्: a riverbank
• कूलम्: Upamana (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन)

• तोयहतम्: eroded/struck by water
• तोयहतम्: Upamana (उपमान/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तोय-हत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies कूलम्

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile/relative adverb (उपमा/यथार्थ-अव्यय)

Context

'I long to give up my life, afflicted with great grief, as I, well-guarded by these ogresses, have no hope to reach Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rākṣasīs
• Rāma (as husband, implied)

FAQs

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

Truthful acknowledgment of suffering without abandoning righteousness: Sītā names her condition honestly while remaining inwardly committed to dharma and fidelity.

What is the narrative situation?

In captivity, Sītā grieves that she cannot see Rāma and feels herself collapsing under sorrow while guarded by rākṣasīs.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Emotional honesty joined to steadfast loyalty—she mourns deeply but does not renounce her moral stance.