Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 21

सीताहनूमद्भाषणम्

Sita Tests the Messenger; Hanuman Offers Reassurance

Devanagari script

स्वप्नेऽपि यद्यहं वीरं राघवं सहलक्ष्मणम्।।।।पश्येयं नावसीदेयं स्वप्नोऽपि मम मत्सरी।

Transliteration

svapne 'pi yady ahaṃ vīraṃ rāghavaṃ saha-lakṣmaṇam | paśyeyaṃ nāvasīdeyaṃ svapno 'pi mama matsarī ||

Translation

若我即便在梦中也能见到英勇的罗伽婆与罗什曼那同在，我便不会沉入绝望；然而连睡眠与梦境，似乎也与我为敌。

Word by Word

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• अपि: even
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक निपात (particle: 'even/also')

• यदि: if
• यदि: निपात (Conditional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• वीरम्: heroic
• वीरम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (M Acc. sg.); 'राघवम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• राघवम्: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• सहलक्ष्मणम्: together with Lakshmana
• सहलक्ष्मणम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (सह लक्ष्मणेन); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (M Acc. sg.), 'राघवम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पश्येयम्: I might see
• पश्येयम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, 1st sg.: 'might see')

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अवसीदेयम्: I would not sink into despair
• अवसीदेयम्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, 1st sg.: 'might become despondent')

• स्वप्नः: dream
• स्वप्नः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nom. sg.)

• अपि: even
• अपि: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even)

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• मत्सरी: hostile; envious
• मत्सरी: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्सरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nom. sg.); 'स्वप्नः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Context

"Even if I can see the heroic Rama together with Lakshmana in my dream my pain will be gone. Even the dream is inimical to me (I cannot sleep and thus cannot dream.)

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is resilience in suffering: Sītā shows how remembrance of the righteous (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa) would sustain her, yet her hardship deprives even that consolation.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā explains her exhaustion and sleeplessness: she cannot even obtain relief through dreams of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfastness and fidelity: her mind seeks strength through vision of her dharmic protectors, not through compromise.