Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

ततः शूर्पणखा नाम राक्षसी वाक्यमब्रवीत्।अजामुख्या यदुक्तं हि तदेव मम रोचते।।5.24.46।।

Transliteration

tataḥ śūrpaṇakhā nāma rākṣasī vākyam abravīt | ajāmukhyā yad uktaṃ hi tad eva mama rocate ||5.24.46||

Translation

তখন শূর্পণখা নামের রাক্ষসী বলল— “অজামুখী যা বলেছে, সেটাই আমার পছন্দ।”

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'then'

• śūrpaṇakhā: Śūrpaṇakhā (name)
• śūrpaṇakhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūrpaṇakhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nāma: named
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'named'

• rākṣasī: ogress
• rākṣasī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• vākyam: words
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: लङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ajāmukhyā: by Ajāmukhī
• ajāmukhyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajāmukhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; agent in passive sense 'said by Ajāmukhī'

• yat: what/that which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to uktaṃ

• uktam: was said
• uktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) used substantively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'what was said'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'indeed/for'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; correlative to yat

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle): 'only/just'

• mama: my/to me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• rocate: is pleasing/acceptable
• rocate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ruc (रुच् धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

'Get the wine quickly, destroyer of all sorrows. After relishing the human flesh we will start Nikumbhila dance.'

Characters & Entities

• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Ajāmukhī
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Approving cruelty is itself a breach of Dharma; the verse shows how adharma spreads through endorsement and group agreement, opposed to satya and compassion.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā supports Ajāmukhī’s violent proposal, reinforcing the collective menace around Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The narrative emphasizes Sītā’s moral isolation—her virtue stands alone against a chorus of adharma.