Shloka 30

पम्पा

तीर-वर्णनम् / Rama’s Lament at Pampa and the Approach to Rishyamuka

Devanagari script

न हि तां सूक्ष्मपक्ष्माक्षीं सुकेशीं मृदुभाषिणीम्।अपश्यतो मे सौमित्रे जीवितेऽस्ति प्रयोजनम्।।।।

Transliteration

na hi tāṁ sūkṣma-pakṣmākṣīṁ su-keśīṁ mṛdu-bhāṣiṇīm |

apaśyato me saumitre jīvite 'sti prayोजनam ||

Translation

萨乌弥特里啊，若我不能见到悉多——睫毛纤细、秀发柔美、言语温婉——那么我的生命确无所用。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म) (object of apaśyataḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• sūkṣma-pakṣma-akṣīm: having delicate eyelashes
• sūkṣma-pakṣma-akṣīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of tām
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣman (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: sūkṣmāni pakṣmāṇi yasyāḥ sā (she whose eyelashes are fine)

• sukeśīm: beautiful-haired
• sukeśīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of tām
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक-पूर्वपद) + keśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: śobhanāḥ keśāḥ yasyāḥ sā

• mṛdu-bhāṣiṇīm: soft-speaking
• mṛdu-bhāṣiṇīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of tām
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāṣiṇī (प्रातिपदिक from √bhāṣ (धातु))
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: mṛdu bhāṣate iti

• apaśyataḥ: of (me) not seeing
• apaśyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√paś (धातु; √dṛś/paśy)
• Form: Śatṛ-pratyaya (शतृ/Present active participle) in genitive: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th), Ekavacana; masculine/neuter; meaning 'of me who am not seeing'

• me: my/of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th, genitive), Ekavacana

• saumitre: O Saumitri
• saumitre: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• jīvite: in life
• jīvite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī (सप्तमी/7th, locative), Ekavacana

• asti: is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• prayोजनam: purpose, meaning
• prayोजनam: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

Context

'O Saumitri! my life is meaningless if I cannot see my beloved Sita with her delicate eye-lashes, beautiful locks of hair and her sweet voice.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana (Saumitri)
• Sita (implied by description)
• Rama (speaker)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights unwavering fidelity as dharma: the rightful husband’s life-purpose is bound to protecting and restoring his wife, not replacing her or compromising truth.

What is the narrative situation?

During the search, Rāma confesses to Lakṣmaṇa that separation from Sītā makes life feel purposeless.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Single-minded devotion and responsibility: Rāma’s identity as protector-husband remains central to his mission.