Shloka 12

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

Devanagari script

छिन्ना भिन्ना विभक्ता वा दीप्तेवाग्नौ प्रदीपिता।रावणं नोपतिष्ठेयं किं प्रलापेन वश्चिरम्।।।।

Transliteration

chinnā bhinnā vibhaktā vā dīpte vāgnau pradīpitā | rāvaṇaṁ nopatiṣṭheyaṁ kiṁ pralāpena vaś ciram || 5.26.12 ||

Translation

„Selbst wenn man mich zerschneidet, zerschmettert, zerreißt oder im lodernden Feuer verbrennt, werde ich mich Rāvaṇa nicht fügen. Was nützt euer langes, leeres Gerede?“

Word by Word

• छिन्ना: cut
• छिन्ना: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त; √छिद् धातु)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle qualifying implied अहम्/सीता

• भिन्ना: split/broken
• भिन्ना: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त; √भिद् धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle

• विभक्ता: divided/apportioned
• विभक्ता: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभक्त (कृदन्त; वि+√भज् धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle

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

• दीप्ता: burning/blazing
• दीप्ता: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त; √दीप् धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमा)

• अग्नौ: in fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• प्रदीपिता: set on fire/burnt
• प्रदीपिता: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रदीपित (कृदन्त; प्र+√दीप् धातु, णिच्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; past passive participle

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• उपतिष्ठेयम्: I would attend/submit to (accept)
• उपतिष्ठेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+√स्था (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; negative sense with न

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used idiomatically in question

• प्रलापेन: by prattle/empty talk
• प्रलापेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• वः: of you (all)
• वः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); enclitic pronoun

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (कालवाचक-अव्ययप्रयोग)

Context

"Even if I am cut, broken to pieces or burnt in glowing fire, I will not accept Ravana. Why do you shout for so long?

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• fire (agni)

FAQs

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

Truth and righteousness are not to be traded for safety: Sītā declares that bodily harm is preferable to consenting to adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā answers prolonged intimidation/argumentation with an absolute refusal, emphasizing the futility of coercive persuasion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unbreakable resolve (dṛḍha-vrata): commitment to virtue even at the cost of life.