Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अथाब्रवीन्महासाध्वी सीता सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी।रक्षसां भीमरूपाणां विज्ञाने मम का गतिः।।5.42.8।।

Transliteration

athābravīn mahāsādhvī sītā sarvāṅgasundarī | rakṣasāṃ bhīmarūpāṇāṃ vijñāne mama kā gatiḥ || 5.42.8 ||

Translation

Then Sītā—most virtuous, and lovely in every limb—said: “What power have I to discern the intentions of these fearsome rākṣasīs?”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/प्रकरणसूचक (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/thereupon)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• महासाध्वी: the very chaste lady
• महासाध्वी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to Sītā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासाध्वी = महा + साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (महती साध्वी)

• सीता: Sita
• सीता: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी: beautiful in all limbs
• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of Sītā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरी = सर्व + अङ्ग + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् अङ्गानाम् सुन्दरी)

• रक्षसाम्: of the rākṣasas/demons
• रक्षसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन (plural)

• भीमरूपाणाम्: of fearsome form
• भीमरूपाणाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of रक्षसाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीमरूप = भीम + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (भीमं रूपं येषाम्)

• विज्ञाने: in knowing/recognizing
• विज्ञाने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरण (in the matter of knowing)

• मम: for me / my
• मम: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध (Possessor/concerned person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• का: what
• का: विशेषण (Qualifier of गतिः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• गतिः: course/way/recourse
• गतिः: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/Topic of question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

The mighty demon king having heard about the killing of the formidable army of ogres, his eyes rolling in rage, commanded the son of Prahasta, who is difficult to conquer and matchless in war.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē sundarakāṇḍē dvicatvāriṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fortysecond sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• rākṣasī-s (ogresses)

FAQs

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

Satya expressed with humility: Sītā refuses to pretend knowledge she does not have, modeling truthful speech even when pressured.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā answers the ogresses’ interrogation by stating her inability to judge or identify the designs of beings who assume dreadful forms.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satya (truthfulness) and vinaya (humility): she speaks plainly without exaggeration or deception.