Shloka 4

रामलक्षणवर्णनम्

Description of Rama and Lakshmana; Alliance Narrative to Sita

Devanagari script

कीदृशं तस्य संस्थानं रूपं रामस्य कीदृशम्।कथमूरू कथं बाहू लक्ष्मणस्य च शंस मे।।।।

Transliteration

kīdṛśaṃ tasya saṃsthānaṃ rūpaṃ rāmasya kīdṛśam | katham ūrū kathaṃ bāhū lakṣmaṇasya ca śaṃsa me ||

Translation

Xin hãy nói cho ta biết: thân tướng và dung mạo của Rāma ra sao? Và đùi cùng cánh tay của Lakṣmaṇa như thế nào, hãy thuật lại cho ta.

Word by Word

• kīdṛśam: of what kind?
• kīdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6 विभक्ति/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃsthānam: build, form
• saṃsthānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• rūpam: appearance
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6 विभक्ति/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kīdṛśam: of what kind?
• kīdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kīdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• katham: how?
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय)

• ūrū: thighs (two)
• ūrū: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• katham: how?
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय)

• bāhū: arms (two)
• bāhū: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2 विभक्ति/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• lakṣmaṇasya: of Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6 विभक्ति/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• śaṃsa: tell, describe
• śaṃsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dative (4 विभक्ति/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

"Rama looked at them and wept clasping them again and again in grief which inflamed like fire.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Hanumān
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma here is careful discernment rooted in Satya: Sītā seeks verifiable details to confirm Hanumān’s truthfulness before placing trust in him.

What is the narrative situation?

In Laṅkā, Sītā tests and questions Hanumān, asking for identifying descriptions of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s prudence and integrity—she does not accept claims blindly, even when they offer hope.