Valmiki Ramayana 6.48.18 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 48, Shloka 18

सीताविलापः—त्रिजटासान्त्वनं च

Sita’s Lament and Trijata’s Consolation

Devanagari script

नहिदृष्टिपथंप्राप्यराघवस्यरणेरिपुः ।जीवन्प्रन्तिवर्तेतयद्यपिस्यान्मनोजवः ।।।।

Transliteration

na hi dṛṣṭipathaṁ prāpya rāghavasya raṇe ripuḥ | jīvan pratinivarteta yady api syān manojavaḥ ||

Translation

Vì hễ kẻ thù nào lọt vào tầm mắt của Rāghava trong chiến trận thì không thể còn sống mà quay về—dẫu cho hắn nhanh như ý niệm.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negative particle)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (emphatic particle)

• dṛṣṭi-patham: the range of sight
• dṛṣṭi-patham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: dṛṣṭeḥ pathaḥ = "path/range of sight"; object of prāpya

• prāpya: having come within
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √āp (धातु) with pra- उपसर्ग; ल्यप् (क्त्वा-सम)
• Form: Kṛdanta-avyaya (gerund/ल्यप्): "having reached/after coming to"

• rāghavasya: of Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; genitive

• raṇe: in battle
• raṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana

• ripuḥ: an enemy
• ripuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana

• jīvan: alive
• jīvan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīvat (कृदन्त; √jīv, शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; present participle used adverbially: "alive / while living"

• pratinivarteta: would return
• pratinivarteta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु) with prati-ni- उपसर्ग
• Form: Liṅ (विधिलिङ्/potential), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada: "would return"

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Śarthe avyaya (conditional particle)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (concessive/also)

• syāt: were
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (विधिलिङ्/potential), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada: "would be"

• manojavaḥ: swift as thought
• manojavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + java (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: manasaḥ javaḥ = "speed of mind"; predicate adjective of ripuḥ

Context

"Even if the enemy is endowed with speed of thought, if he comes in the range of Rama's sight, he will not go alive."

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)

FAQs

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

It asserts moral confidence that righteous power, when directly engaged, is decisive; adharma survives by evasion, but cannot stand before dharma when confronted openly.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā reasons that if Rāma had truly seen the enemy directly, the enemy could not have escaped; therefore the reported defeat must involve deception or invisibility.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s invincibility in fair combat and unwavering heroic competence (śaurya) are emphasized.