Shloka 8

रावणस्य परिव्राजकवेषेण सीतासमीपगमनम्

Ravana Approaches Sita Disguised as a Mendicant

Devanagari script

रामस्य त्वन्तरप्रेप्सुर्दशग्रीवस्तदन्तरे।।।।उपतस्थे च वै देहीं भिक्षुरूपेण रावणः।

Transliteration

rāmasya tv antaraprepsur daśagrīvas tadantare |

upatasthē ca vai dehīṃ bhikṣurūpeṇa rāvaṇaḥ ||

Translation

وإذ كان يبتغي ثغرةً في غيابِ راما، تقدّم رافانا ذو الأعناق العشرة إلى فايدهِي متنكّرًا في هيئةِ ناسكٍ سائل.

Word by Word

• rāmasya: of Rāma
• rāmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/Genitive), Ekavacana

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Virodha/Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (but/indeed)

• antara-prepsuḥ: seeking an opportunity
• antara-prepsuḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of daśa-grīvaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक) + prepsu (कृदन्त; √āp (धातु) desiderative ‘ipsu’ with pra-)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘desiring an opportunity/interval’

• daśa-grīvaḥ: Ten-necked (Rāvaṇa)
• daśa-grīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of upatasthē
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या) + grīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi ‘one who has ten necks/heads’

• tad-antare: in that interval (in his absence)
• tad-antare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘in that interval/absence’

• upatasthē: approached/stood near
• upatasthē: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa+√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-nipāta (indeed/emphatic)

• dehīm: Sītā (Vaidehī)
• dehīm: Karma (कर्म) of upatasthē
• Type: Noun
• Root: dehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• bhikṣu-rūpeṇa: in mendicant form
• bhikṣu-rūpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण) / Veṣa-nirdeśa
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣu (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; ‘in the form of a mendicant’

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of upatasthē
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Context

Seeing the ferocious Ravana, the huge trees at Janasthana shook vidently. Even the wind ceased to blow.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa (Daśagrīva)
• Sītā (Vaidehī)

FAQs

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

It condemns deceit used to violate dharma: taking a holy guise to commit harm is a double transgression—against truth (satya) and against the sanctity of ascetic identity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa waits for Rāma’s absence and then advances toward Sītā while disguised as a mendicant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is satya (truthfulness) and integrity: righteous persons do not use sacred appearances as instruments of exploitation.