Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 81, Shloka 30

इन्द्रजितो मायासीतावधः

Indrajit’s Illusory Sita Episode and Hanuman’s Rebuke

Devanagari script

यज्ञोपवीतमार्गेणभिन्नातेनतपस्विनी ।।।।सापृथिव्यांपृथुश्रोणीपपातप्रियदर्शना ।

Transliteration

yajñopavītamārgeṇa bhinnā tena tapasvinī | sā pṛthivyāṃ pṛthuśroṇī papāta priyadarśanā ||

Translation

شُقَّتْ على امتداد خطِّ اليَجْنْيُوبَفِيتا، الخيط المقدّس، تلك المتعبّدة الزاهدة؛ فسقطت على الأرض، عريضةَ الوركين حسنةَ المنظر.

Word by Word

• यज्ञोपवीतमार्गेण: along the line of the sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीतमार्गेण: Karana/Path (करण/मार्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञोपवीत + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (yajñopavītasya mārgaḥ = line of the sacred thread)

• भिन्ना: split
• भिन्ना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘split/cleft’

• तेन: by that (weapon/blow)
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by that/with that’

• तपस्विनी: the ascetic woman
• तपस्विनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth/into the ground
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पृथुश्रोणी: broad-hipped
• पृथुश्रोणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथु + श्रोणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (pṛthvī śroṇī yasyāḥ)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रियदर्शना: of pleasing appearance
• प्रियदर्शना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (priyaṃ darśanaṃ yasyāḥ)

Context

Split diagonally, the ascetic woman with charming hips and pleasing countenance sank into the ground.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit (implied by context)

FAQs

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

The imagery of cutting along the yajñopavīta line underscores sacrilegious intent—using symbols of dharma (sacred thread) within an act designed to deceive and demoralize.

What is the narrative situation?

After the sword-strike, the illusory woman’s body is described as falling, reinforcing the illusion for onlookers.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes not virtue but the calculated exploitation of dharmic symbols to create believable falsehood—an anti-satya strategy.