Shloka 3

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

प्रविशन्तीवगात्राणिस्वानिसाजनकात्मजा ।वाक्षरैस्स्सैःसशल्येवभृशमाश्रूण्यवर्तयत् ।।।।

Transliteration

praviśantīva gātrāṇi svāni sā janakātmajā |

vākśaraiḥ taiḥ saśalyeva bhṛśam aśrūṇy avartayat ||

Translation

Als wäre sie von jenen pfeilgleichen Worten verwundet, schien Janakas Tochter in ihre eigenen Glieder zurückzusinken und vergoss überaus viele Tränen.

Word by Word

• praviśantī iva: as if entering/shrinking in
• praviśantī iva: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Present participle/Śatṛ (शतृ) feminine nominative singular: praviśantī; with iva (upamā)

• gātrāṇi: limbs
• gātrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/Dvitīyā (2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• svāni: her own
• svāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/Dvitīyā (2), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies gātrāṇi

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (1), Singular (एकवचन)

• janaka-ātmajā: Janaka's daughter
• janaka-ātmajā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāk-śaraiḥ: by word-arrows
• vāk-śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāk (प्रातिपदिक) + śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental/Tṛtīyā (3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)/Neuter, Instrumental/Tṛtīyā (3), Plural (बहुवचन); refers to vāk-śaraiḥ

• sa-śalyā iva: as if pierced/wounded
• sa-śalyā iva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + śalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound meaning 'with a dart/with a splinter'; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (1), Singular (एकवचन); with iva; qualifies sā

• bhṛśam: excessively
• bhṛśam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb

• aśrūṇi: tears
• aśrūṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/Dvitīyā (2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• avartayat: caused to flow, shed
• avartayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) from √vṛt with prefix ava-; Imperfect/Laṅ (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Context

Having spoken in that way, Vaidehi went round fire fearlessly, absorbed with in herself and entered the flaming and burning fire.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Janakātmajā)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the dharmic cost of careless speech: words can wound like arrows, and righteousness includes restraint and compassion in judgment.

What is the narrative situation?

In the aftermath of events leading to Sītā’s public scrutiny, she reacts emotionally to harsh, piercing words and begins to weep.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s inner strength and dignity under suffering—she endures emotional pain without abandoning her commitment to truth.