Shloka 12

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

प्रत्यक्षंवानरस्यास्यतद्वाक्यसमनन्तरम् ।त्वयासन्त्यक्तयावीरत्यक्तंस्याजजीवितंमया ।।।।

Transliteration

pratyakṣaṁ vānarasyāsya tad-vākya-samanantaram |

tvayā santyaktayā vīra tyaktaṁ syāj jīvitaṁ mayā ||

Translation

O Held! Hättest du mich sogleich nach dem Hören jener Botschaft—in der Gegenwart eben jenes Vānara—verstoßen, so hätte ich damals dort und sofort mein Leben aufgegeben.

Word by Word

• pratyakṣam: in the presence
• pratyakṣam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् द्वितीया-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: in the presence)

• vānarasya: of the monkey (Hanuman)
• vānarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen sg)

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen sg)

• tad-vākya-samanantaram: immediately after that message
• tad-vākya-samanantaram: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + samanantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (immediately after that message); क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)

• santyaktayā: (with me) abandoned
• santyaktayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√tyaj (त्यज्) (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg); कर्मणि/भावे (having been abandoned)

• vīra: O hero
• vīra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (Voc sg)

• tyaktam: would be given up
• tyaktam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tyaj (त्यज्) (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि (would be abandoned)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (3rd sg)

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr-sambandha (कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया एकवचन (Instr sg)

Context

"O hero! Had you given me up immediately on receiving your message from Vanara I would have given up my life in the presence of Hanuman there itself."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Hanūmān

FAQs

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

Dharma as personal integrity: Sītā asserts she would not cling to life under dishonor; truth (satya) and dignity are valued above survival.

What is the narrative situation?

She argues that if rejection was inevitable, it should have occurred earlier (upon Hanūmān’s report), sparing the later public humiliation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness (dhṛti) and honor: Sītā presents herself as willing to die rather than live under false suspicion.