Shloka 19

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

अप्रीतेनगुणैर्भर्त्रात्यक्तायाजनसंसदि ।याक्षमामेगतिर्गन्तुंप्रवेक्ष्येहव्यवाहनम् ।।।।

Transliteration

aprītena guṇair bhartrā tyaktāyā jana-saṁsadi |

yā kṣamā me gatir gantuṁ pravekṣyeha havyavāhanam ||

Translation

Wenn mein Ehemann, selbst mit meinen Tugenden unzufrieden, mich vor einer Versammlung von Menschen verstößt, bleibt mir nur ein Weg: Hier und jetzt werde ich in das Feuer treten, den Träger der Opfergaben.

Word by Word

• aprītena: by one displeased
• aprītena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aprīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular, Masculine/Neuter; agrees with implied ‘bhartṛ’ sense ‘by (one) displeased’

• guṇaiḥ: with/for (my) virtues
• guṇaiḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन), Masculine

• bhartrā: by (my) husband
• bhartrā: Karaṇa (करण/Agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular, Masculine

• tyaktāyāḥ: of (me) abandoned
• tyaktāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; of ‘me’ understood

• jana-saṃsadi: in the assembly of people
• jana-saṃsadi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular, Feminine; tatpuruṣa: janānāṃ saṃsad (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• yā: which
• yā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular, Feminine; refers to gatiḥ

• kṣamā: forbearance/acceptance
• kṣamā: Pradhāna (प्रधान/predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular, Feminine; predicate noun

• me: for me/of me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic

• gatiḥ: course/way
• gatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular, Feminine

• gantum: to go
• gantum: Karma (कर्म/infinitival object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• pravekṣye: I shall enter
• pravekṣye: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√viś (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person, Singular

• havyavāhanam: the fire (carrier of oblations)
• havyavāhanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havyavāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular, Masculine; tatpuruṣa: havyaṃ vahati iti (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) = Agni

Context

"When my husband is not pleased with my virtues, renounces me in the gathering of people, I have only that path for me, that is, entering fire and offering myself as oblation."

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (husband implied)
• Agni (Havyavāhana)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as public vindication of satya: in a social order where reputation affects dharma, Sītā seeks Agni as the witness to truth.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā declares her decision to enter the fire after being repudiated in public, setting the stage for the Agni-parīkṣā (fire ordeal).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearless commitment to truth: Sītā chooses a decisive, sacred test rather than living under unresolved suspicion.