tataḥ śoka-pariduṣṭayā bāṣpeṇa vilulitena ca .
“Then, her heart being distressed with grief and her body being shaken by sobs.”
Structure
tataḥ śoka-pariduṣṭayā bāṣpeṇa vilulitena ca
tataḥ (then) śoka (grief) pariduṣṭayā (overwhelmed) bāṣpeṇa (by tears) vilulitena (overwhelmed) ca (and)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tataḥ | tataḥ | indeclinable | — | then, thereafter |
| śoka-pariduṣṭayā | śoka-pariduṣṭayā | compound | bahuvrīhi · "śokaḥ pariduṣṭā yasyāḥ" | whose mind was troubled by grief |
| bāṣpeṇa | bāṣpeṇa | noun | instrumental · singular · masculine | with tears |
| vilulitena | vilulitena | verb | √lul · past participle · third | shaken, agitated |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse from the Rāmāyaṇa illustrates the state of bondage to sorrow, which arises from the misidentification of the self with the fleeting body and emotions. As Shankara notes in his commentary on the Brahmasūtra (1.1.5), the Ultimate Reality, Brahman, is beyond all afflictions, including sorrow. The description of her heart being distressed with grief (śoka-pariduṣṭayā) and her body shaken by sobs (bāṣpeṇa vilulitena ca) points to the turmoil in the phenomenal world, which is transcended by realizing the non-dual identity of Brahman and ātman. This realization, as Shankara explains in his Upadeśasāhasrī, allows one to see through the delusions of the ephemeral world and find peace in the unchanging essence of the Self.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The emotional distress described in this verse signifies the profound attachment and thus the potential for deep devotional surrender. Rāmānujācārya, in his Śrībhāṣya (commentary on the Brahmasūtra), emphasizes the loving relationship between the jīva (individual soul) and Īśvara (the Supreme Lord). The intense grief and sobbing indicate a profound yearning, which, when directed towards the divine, becomes bhakti. This yearning is a call for divine grace, illustrating the dependence of the jīva on Īśvara. Madhvācārya, from a Dvaita perspective, would interpret this as an example of the real and inherent difference between the Lord and the devotee, where the devotee's suffering prompts a call for the Lord's mercy, highlighting their mutual yet distinct relationship.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse speaks to the universal human experience of suffering and the quest for transcendence. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on Bhakti Yoga, emphasizes that true strength lies not in the absence of emotions but in the ability to observe them without being controlled by them. The image of a heart distressed by grief and a body shaken by sobs can be seen as a symbol of the human condition, from which one can rise through self-awareness and realization of one's true nature. S. Radhakrishnan, in his philosophical works, highlights the importance of integrating the insights of Vedanta into everyday life, suggesting that verses like these offer a mirror to our own emotional and spiritual struggles, inviting us to seek a deeper, more compassionate understanding of ourselves and others.