Shloka 20

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तुवैदेह्यालक्ष्मणःपरवीरहा ।अमर्षवशमापन्नोराघवंसमुदैक्षत ।।।।

Transliteration

evam uktaḥ tu vaidehyā lakṣmaṇaḥ paravīrahā | amarṣavaśam āpanno rāghavaṃ samudaikṣata || 6.119.20 ||

Translation

So von Vaidehi angesprochen, blickte Lakshmana – der Vernichter feindlicher Helden –, von Empörung überwältigt, zu Raghava auf.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• uktaḥ: addressed/spoken to
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with lakṣmaṇaḥ

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (निपात)

• vaidehyā: by Vaidehi (Sita)
• vaidehyā: Karaṇa (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular, Feminine

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular, Masculine

• paravīrahā: slayer of enemy heroes
• paravīrahā: Apposition (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + han (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Masculine; tatpuruṣa: parānāṃ vīrān hanti iti (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• amarṣa-vaśam: the sway of indignation
• amarṣa-vaśam: Karma (कर्म/Object of āpannaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amarṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular, Masculine; tatpuruṣa: amarṣasya vaśaḥ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• āpannaḥ: having become/overcome
• āpannaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā√pad (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्तवत्-प्राय), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘having fallen into/overcome by’

• rāghavam: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular, Masculine

• samudaikṣata: looked at
• samudaikṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

Context

Spoken in that manner by Vaidehi, Lakshmana, the destroyer of enemies, overcome with indignation looked at Raghava.

Characters & Entities

• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāghava (Rāma)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes loyal service and moral sensitivity: Lakṣmaṇa’s indignation reflects concern for justice and the protection of Sītā’s honor while remaining bound to obedience toward Rāma.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā’s words prompt Lakṣmaṇa to react emotionally; he turns to Rāma, awaiting direction in a tense public moment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s steadfast loyalty combined with moral seriousness—he feels outrage yet seeks Rāma’s will.