Shloka 26

रावणस्य सीताप्रलोभनम्

Ravana’s Persuasion and Coercive Courtship of Sita

Devanagari script

किं करिष्यसि रामेण सुभगे चीरवाससा।निक्षिप्तविजयो रामो गतश्रीर्वनगोचरः।।5.20.26।।व्रती स्थण्डिलशायी च शङ्के जीवति वा न वा।

Transliteration

kiṃ kariṣyasi rāmeṇa subhage cīravāsasā | nikṣiptavijayo rāmo gataśrīr vanagocaraḥ || 5.20.26 || vratī sthaṇḍilaśāyī ca śaṅke jīvati vā na vā |

Translation

Was willst du mit Rāma, o Glückliche, der in Rindenkleidern geht? Rāma hat die Siege der Königsherrschaft beiseitegelegt, seinen Glanz verloren und streift durch den Wald—ein Asket im Gelübde, der auf bloßer Erde schläft; ich zweifle sogar, ob er noch lebt.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun used adverbially

• करिष्यसि: will you do
• करिष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• रामेण: with/through Rama
• रामेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• सुभगे: O fortunate/beautiful one
• सुभगे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• चीरवाससा: with the bark-clad one
• चीरवाससा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चीर-वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (चीरं वसनं यस्य/चीरवसनः) here in instr. as epithet of Rama

• निक्षिप्तविजयः: one who has cast aside victory
• निक्षिप्तविजयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निक्षिप्त-विजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle sense in first member (निक्षिप्तः) qualifying विजयः

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• गतश्रीः: whose fortune has departed
• गतश्रीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत-श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘श्रीः’ (fortune) with ‘गत’ (gone)

• वनगोचरः: forest-wanderer
• वनगोचरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन-गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘वन’ + ‘गोचर’ (one who ranges)

• व्रती: observing vows/ascetic
• व्रती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• स्थण्डिलशायी: sleeping on the ground
• स्थण्डिलशायी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थण्डिल-शायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘स्थण्डिले शयते’ (sleeps on bare ground)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• शङ्के: I suspect/doubt
• शङ्के: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (singular), आत्मनेपद

• जीवति: is alive
• जीवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

Context

"O beautiful lady! Rama has renounced victory, he has lost his fortune. Clad in bark,he is wandering in the forest following asceticism and sleeping on the ground. What can he do for you? I am in doubt if he is alive or not.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma condemns deceit and discouragement used to break another’s faith. The verse exemplifies adharma through belittling virtue (ascetic endurance) as weakness.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa attempts to sever Sītā’s hope by portraying Rāma as powerless, impoverished, and possibly dead.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s renunciant discipline is indirectly highlighted: he accepts hardship for dharma, while Sītā’s unwavering trust in him is tested.