Shloka 3.49.22

सीताहरणम् — Ravana reveals his true form and abducts Sita

Devanagari script

तामकामां स कामार्तः पन्नगेन्द्रवधूमिव।।3.49.22।।विवेष्टमानामादाय उत्पपाताथ रावणः।

Transliteration

tām akāmāṃ sa kāmārtaḥ pannagendravadhūm iva | viveṣṭamānām ādāya utpapāta atha rāvaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Tormented by desire, Rāvaṇa seized her—unwilling and writhing like the bride of the serpent-king—and then sprang up into the air with her.

Context

Passionate Ravana took hold of Sita who was not willing and was writhing in pain. He seized her like (an eagle carrying away) a serpent queen and flew up.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• pannagendra (serpent-king, metaphor)

FAQs

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

Unchecked kāma becomes adharma: desire that overrides another’s will is condemned by the narrative as a moral collapse leading to violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa forcibly takes Sītā and begins the aerial abduction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s resistance is emphasized as moral clarity—she does not consent and actively struggles against wrongdoing.