Shloka 3.34.21

आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः — Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description

Devanagari script

तां तु दृष्ट्वाद्य वैदेहीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम्।मन्मथस्य शराणां वै त्वं विधेयो भविष्यसि।।।।

Transliteration

tāṁ tu dṛṣṭvādya vaidehīṁ pūrṇacandranibhānanām |

manmathasya śarāṇāṁ vai tvaṁ vidheyo bhaviṣyasi ||

Translation

If you were to see Vaidehī today—her face like the full moon—you would surely come under the power of Manmatha’s arrows.

Context

If you see her today, this lady with a face like the fullmoon, you will (instantaneously) fall a victim to the arrows of the god of love.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (Vaidehī)
• Manmatha (Kāma/Cupid)
• Full moon (pūrṇacandra)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the force of desire and the dharmic need for restraint; yielding to kāma makes one ‘subject’ to impulses rather than to conscience and right conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā predicts that merely seeing Sītā will inflame Rāvaṇa with love-lust, pushing him toward pursuit.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is self-mastery—governing desire rather than being governed by it.