Shloka 138

Prāyaścitta for Theft, Forbidden Foods, Impurity, and Ritual Lapses; Tīrtha–Vrata Remedies; Pativratā Mahātmyam via Sītā and Agni

Devanagari script

या नीता राक्षसेशेन सीता भगवताहृता / मया मायामयी सृष्टा रावणस्य वधाय सा

Transliteration

yā nītā rākṣaseśena sītā bhagavatāhṛtā / mayā māyāmayī sṛṣṭā rāvaṇasya vadhāya sā

Translation

ৰাক্ষসাধিপতিয়ে যি সীতাক নিলে, সেই সীতা প্ৰকৃততে ভগৱানেই হৰণ কৰিছিল; আৰু ৰাৱণবধৰ বাবে মই মায়াময়ী সীতাক সৃষ্টি কৰিছিলোঁ।

Word by Word

• या: she who
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• नीता: was taken
• नीता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (was led/taken)

• राक्षसेशेन: by the lord of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसेशेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानाम् ईशः)

• सीता: Sītā
• सीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हृता: was carried off
• हृता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (was taken away)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मायामयी: illusory
• मायामयी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया + मयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः/उपपद (मायया मयी = consisting of illusion)

• सृष्टा: was created
• सृष्टा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि (created)

• रावणस्य: of Rāvaṇa
• रावणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वधाय: for the killing
• वधाय: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ-चतुर्थी (for the purpose of)

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

Speaker

A Purana narrator in the Kurma Purana’s discourse tradition (teaching the divine strategy behind the Ramayana episode)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Ravana
• Bhagavan

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By distinguishing the Lord’s true agency from appearances, the verse implies that the Supreme governs events through māyā without being bound by it—pointing to a transcendent Self that remains untouched while directing cosmic outcomes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed in this verse; instead it supports a yogic discernment (viveka) central to Purāṇic Yoga—seeing māyā as instrumental and cultivating steady devotion and insight into the Lord’s guiding will behind worldly events.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Though Vishnu-centered in language (“Bhagavān”), the theological point aligns with Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the one Supreme Lord operates through māyā for dharma’s protection—an idea shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava frameworks in this Purana.