Valmiki Ramayana 2.118.28 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 28

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

तस्य लाङ्गलहस्तन्य कर्षतः क्षेत्रमण्डलम्।अहं किलोत्थिता भित्वा जगतीं नृपतेस्सुता।।2.118.28।।

Transliteration

tasya lāṅgalahastasya karṣataḥ kṣetramaṇḍalam | ahaṃ kilotthitā bhitvā jagatīṃ nṛpateḥ sutā ||2.118.28||

Translation

Als er, den Pflug in der Hand, das Opferfeld bestellte, heißt es, erhob ich mich, die Erde durchbrechend; so wurde ich des Königs Tochter.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/ his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (pronoun form)

• लाङ्गल-हस्तस्य: of (the man) with a plough in hand
• लाङ्गल-हस्तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive tatpuruṣa: 'plough-in-hand'), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्षतः: while (he) was ploughing
• कर्षतः: अधिकरण (सप्तमी/locative-like absolute sense; here genitive absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'while ploughing' (genitive absolute sense)

• क्षेत्र-मण्डलम्: the plot/circular area of the field
• क्षेत्र-मण्डलम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (Determinative: 'field-plot'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• किल: as they say/indeed
• किल: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), hearsay/emphasis

• उत्थिता: arisen/raised up
• उत्थिता: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with 'अहम्' (implied feminine speaker)

• भित्वा: having split
• भित्वा: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having split/broken'

• जगतीम्: the earth/ground
• जगतीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• नृपतेः: of the king
• नृपतेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सुता: daughter
• सुता: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन; apposition to 'अहम्'

Context

When he was ploughing the circular plot of land for performing a sacrifice, it is said I emerged from the earth by breaking it and therefore I became his dauhghter.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Anasūyā
• Janaka
• Mithilā
• Earth (Jagatī/Bhūmi)

FAQs

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

The verse links dharma with sacred order: Sītā’s emergence occurs in a ritual-agricultural context, suggesting that righteous action (yajña/ordered duty) becomes a ground for auspicious outcomes.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā narrates her miraculous origin—arising from the earth while Janaka ploughs a ritual plot.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s dutiful engagement in righteous rites and responsibilities, within which Sītā’s destiny unfolds.