Shloka 9

सीतान्वेषणविलापः

Rama’s Lament and Search for Sita

Devanagari script

गता विचेतुं पुष्पाणि फलान्यपि च वा पुनः।अथवा पद्मिनीं याता जलार्थं वा नदीं गता।।3.60.9।।

Transliteration

gatā vicetuṃ puṣpāṇi phalāni api ca vā punaḥ |

athavā padminīṃ yātā jalārthaṃ vā nadīṃ gatā || 3.60.9 ||

Translation

“或许她去采花，或去摘取果实；又或去了莲池，或到河边取水。”

Word by Word

• yatnāt: by effort
• yatnāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative: by/through effort)

• mṛgayamāṇaḥ: searching
• mṛgayamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛgaya (नामधातु/धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (Present middle participle), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• āsasāda: found/encountered
• āsasāda: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sad (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• priyām: his beloved
• priyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śoka-rakta-īkṣaṇaḥ: with eyes reddened by grief
• śoka-rakta-īkṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + rakta + īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘śokena raktaṃ īkṣaṇam yasya’ (eyes reddened by grief)

• śokāt: from grief
• śokāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative: from/owing to grief)

• unmattaḥ: mad
• unmattaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: unmatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamana-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• lakṣyate: is seen/appears
• lakṣyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (appears/is perceived)

Context

'Maybe she has gone to pluck flowers or fruits. Or to the lotus-pond or river to fetch water.'

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• padminī (lotus-pond)
• nadī (river)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes restraint and balanced judgment: even in distress, Rāma considers ordinary, truthful explanations before concluding the worst.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues reasoning through possibilities, shifting from fearful outcomes to plausible daily activities like collecting flowers or fetching water.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical discernment—Rāma’s hope is guided by reason, not denial.