Shloka 70

Devanagari script

राक्षसाधम रामस्य भार्याममिततेजसः।इक्ष्वाकुकुलनाथस्य स्नुषां दशरथस्य च।।।।अवाच्यं वदतो जिह्वा कथं न पतिता तव।

Transliteration

rākṣasādhama rāmasya bhāryām amitatejasaḥ |

ikṣvākukulanāthasya snuṣāṃ daśarathasya ca ||

avācyaṃ vadato jihvā kathaṃ na patitā tava ||

Translation

O du niederträchtigster der Rākṣasas! Ich bin die Gattin Rāmas von unermesslichem Glanz, die Schwiegertochter Daśarathas, des Herrn des Ikṣvāku-Geschlechts. Wie ist dir die Zunge nicht abgefallen, da du das Unsagbare aussprichst?

Word by Word

• राक्षसाधम: O lowest rākṣasa
• राक्षसाधम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (rākṣasa-adhama = ‘lowest of rākṣasas’)

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/Genitive), एकवचन

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/Accusative), एकवचन

• अमिततेजसः: of the immeasurably radiant/valorous (one)
• अमिततेजसः: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (amita-tejas = ‘of immeasurable splendour/valour’) विशेषणम् (रामस्य)

• इक्ष्वाकुकुलनाथस्य: of the lord of the Ikshvaku dynasty
• इक्ष्वाकुकुलनाथस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्ष्वाकु + कुल + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ikṣvāku-kula-nātha = ‘lord of Ikṣvāku dynasty’)

• स्नुषाम्: daughter-in-law
• स्नुषाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/Accusative), एकवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस-रूपेण -ām अन्तः); अर्थतः ‘daughter-in-law’

• दशरथस्य: of Dasharatha
• दशरथस्य: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अवाच्यम्: unspeakable
• अवाच्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाच्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वाक्यम्/वचनम् implied)

• वदतः: of (you) speaking
• वदतः: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/वर्तमान-प्रत्यय), षष्ठी (6/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (you) speaking’

• जिह्वा: tongue
• जिह्वा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/Nominative), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• पतिता: fallen
• पतिता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पतित (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रियापदवत् ‘has fallen’ (अस्ति-लोपः)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha/Genitive (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6/Genitive), एकवचन

Context

'O lowly demon! I am the wife of valiant Rama and daughter-in-law of Dasaratha, the king of Ikshvaku race. How is it your tongue that spoke unspeakable words has not fallen down?

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Daśaratha
• Ikṣvāku (dynasty)

FAQs

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

It teaches the dharma of speech (vāg-dharma): words must honor what is sacred and protected; violating moral boundaries through obscene or coercive speech is condemned.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā answers Rāvaṇa’s threats by asserting her lawful identity and condemning his shameless words.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya and self-respect—Sītā stands on truth (her marital fidelity and lineage) and refuses to be morally intimidated.