Shloka 40

सीताविलापः

Sītā’s Lament over the Illusory Head and Bow

Devanagari script

अन्तर्थानंतुतच्छीर्षंतच्चकार्मुकमुत्तमम् ।जगामरावणस्यैवनिर्याणसमनन्तरम् ।।6.32.40।।

Transliteration

antardhānaṃ tu tac chīrṣaṃ tac ca kārmukam uttamam | jagāma rāvaṇasyaiva niryāṇa-samanantaram ||6.32.40||

Translation

Nhưng ngay sau khi Rāvaṇa vừa rời đi, cái đầu ấy và cây cung tuyệt hảo kia liền ẩn mất, không còn thấy nữa.

Word by Word

• antarthānam: disappearance/vanishing
• antarthānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antardhāna (अन्तर्धान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana; ‘disappearance’ as subject

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis/contrast particle

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana; qualifies śīrṣam

• śīrṣam: head
• śīrṣam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīrṣa (शीर्ष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana; co-subject with kārmukam

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana; qualifies kārmukam

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; samuccaya (conjunction)

• kārmukam: bow
• kārmukam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārmuka (कार्मुक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (उत्तम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, prathamā, ekavacana; qualifies kārmukam

• jagāma: went/vanished
• jagāma: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), prathama-puruṣa, ekavacana; parasmaipada

• rāvaṇasya: of Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (रावण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, ṣaṣṭhī, ekavacana

• eva: just/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (एव अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphasis

• niryāṇa-samanantaram: immediately after the departure
• niryāṇa-samanantaram: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niryāṇa (निर्याण प्रातिपदिक) + samanantara (समानन्तर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva used adverbially; napuṃsakaliṅga, dvitīyā, ekavacana in form; kāla-avyaya sense ‘immediately after departure’

Context

"O Kaikeyi! Your desire is fulfilled with the killing of the delight of the race. You, who are given to creating quarrel have ruined the race."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• bow (kārmuka)

FAQs

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

The verse points to the instability of power grounded in illusion: what seems formidable can vanish. Dharma counsels reliance on truth and right conduct, not on deceptive appearances.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāvaṇa leaves, a previously present head and an excellent bow disappear immediately, suggesting a supernatural or illusory element in the scene.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): the implied lesson is to distinguish reality from display, especially in matters of conflict and power.