Shloka 14

सीताया यशोधर्मविचारः

Sita’s Counsel on Honor, Rescue-Strategy, and Hanuman’s Reassurance

Devanagari script

बलैस्तु सङ्कुलां कृत्वा लङ्कां परबलार्दनः।मां नयेद्यदि काकुत्स्थस्तत्तस्य सदृशं भवेत्।।।।

Transliteration

balais tu saṅkulāṃ kṛtvā laṅkāṃ parabalārdanaḥ | māṃ nayedyadi kākutsthas tat tasya sadṛśaṃ bhavet ||

Translation

Wenn aber Kakutstha—der Zermalmer der feindlichen Heere—Lankā mit seiner Macht überwältigte und mich dann fortführte, so wäre das seiner würdig.

Word by Word

बलैःwith forces

तुbut/indeed

सङ्कुलाम्crowded/filled

कृत्वाhaving made

लङ्काम्Lanka

परबलार्दनःdestroyer of enemy armies

माम्me

नयेत्should take/lead

यदिif

काकुत्स्थःKakutstha (Rama)

तत्that

तस्यfor him/of him

सदृशम्befitting/appropriate

भवेत्would be

Context

'If Rama, the slayer of the enemy army, could fill Lanka with his arrows and take me that will be a good sight for him to see.

Characters & Entities

Sītā

Rāma (Kākutstha)

Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Dharma is the restoration of justice through rightful strength: evil should be confronted and subdued openly, so that rescue is not merely escape but moral re-ordering.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā outlines the proper form of her rescue: Rāma should defeat Laṅkā’s hostile power and then bring her back.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s commitment to heroic propriety (kṣātra-dharma) and to Rāma’s fitting public vindication.