Valmiki Ramayana 2.117.25: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 117, Shloka 25

अत्र्याश्रमगमनम् तथा अनसूयोपदेशः

Arrival at Atri’s Hermitage and Anasuya’s Counsel

Devanagari script

न त्वेवमवगच्छन्ति गुणदोषमसत्त्स्रियः।कामवक्तव्यहृदया भर्तृनाथाश्चरन्ति याः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.117.25

Transliteration

na tv evam avagacchanti guṇadoṣam asat-striyaḥ |

kāmavaktavyahṛdayā bhartṛnāthāś caranti yāḥ ||

Translation

Doch verderbte Frauen erkennen Tugend und Fehl nicht auf diese Weise: deren Herz von Begierde und Eigenwille getrieben ist, die umherstreifen, als wären ihre Gatten von ihnen abhängig.

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Word by Word

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (but/indeed)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• अवगच्छन्ति: understand
• अवगच्छन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुणदोषम्: virtue and vice
• गुणदोषम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (गुणश्च दोषश्च) समाहार/इतरेतर; अर्थे: virtue and vice

• असत्स्रियः: wicked women
• असत्स्रियः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (असत्यः/दुष्टाः स्त्रियः)

• कामवक्तव्यहृदया: whose hearts are set on desire and improper talk
• कामवक्तव्यहृदया: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + वक्तव्य + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (कामेन वक्तव्येन च हृदयं यस्याः/यासाम्)

• भर्तृनाथाः: having husbands as lords
• भर्तृनाथाः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भर्तृ + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (भर्ता नाथः यस्याः/यासाम्)

• चरन्ति: roam/behave
• चरन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• याः: who/which
• याः: कर्ता (Subject of relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

Context

Those wicked women whose minds are overpowered by carnal desires, ranging at will as lords of their husbands, do not understand about vice and virtue.

Characters & Entities

• Anasūyā
• Sītā
• Kāma (desire)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires discernment (guṇa-doṣa-viveka) and restraint; unchecked kāma undermines moral understanding and right conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Anasūyā contrasts Sītā’s dharmic fidelity with the behavior of those who act from desire and disregard ethical discernment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (moral discrimination) and dama (self-control) as foundations for dharmic life.