Shloka 6

सीताभर्त्सना

The Ogresses’ Threats to Sita and Her Vow of Fidelity

Devanagari script

राक्षसीनां वचः श्रुत्वा सीता पद्मनिभेक्षणा।

नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यामिदं वचनमब्रवीत्।।5.24.6।।

Transliteration

rākṣasīnām vacaḥ śrutvā sītā padmanibhekṣaṇā |

netrābhyām aśrupūrṇābhyām idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||5.24.6||

Translation

Als Sītā, die Lotosäugige, die Worte der Rākṣasīs hörte, und ihre beiden Augen von Tränen erfüllt waren, sprach sie folgende Antwort.

Word by Word

• rākṣasīnām: of the ogresses
• rākṣasīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having heard

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

• padmanibhekṣaṇā: lotus-eyed
• padmanibhekṣaṇā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: padma-nibha-īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: पद्मनिभे ईक्षणे यस्याः (she whose eyes are like lotuses)

• netrābhyām: with (her) two eyes
• netrābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (Dual)

• aśrupūrṇābhyām: filled with tears
• aśrupūrṇābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśru-pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष: अश्रुभिः पूर्णे (filled with tears)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vacanam: speech; words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

Context

Hearing the words of the ogresses, Sita with eyes like lotus petals full of tears repliedthis way:

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• rākṣasī (ogresses)

FAQs

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

The verse frames Sītā’s response as arising from steadfast moral resolve under suffering: even in grief, she answers in a way aligned with fidelity and righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

In Laṅkā, after hearing the ogresses’ coercive speech, Sītā—overcome with tears—begins her reply.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral steadiness under duḥkha (sorrow): Sītā does not collapse into compliance; she prepares to speak from conviction.