Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पतिव्रता तु सा सीता ह्यनसूया यथैव तु / पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यं शृणु त्वं कथयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

pativratā tu sā sītā hyanasūyā yathaiva tu / pativratāyā māhātmyaṃ śṛṇu tvaṃ kathayāmyaham

Translation

Sītā, en verdad, fue una pativratā, fiel a su esposo, tal como Anasūyā. Ahora escucha: yo te relataré la grandeza y el poder sagrado de una pativratā.

Word by Word

• पति-व्रता: devoted to her husband; chaste wife
• पति-व्रता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पत्यौ व्रतम्/निष्ठा यस्याः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सीता: Sītā
• सीता: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• अनसूया: Anasūyā
• अनसूया: Upamana/Drishtanta (Comparison base/उपमान-आधार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as/like’)

• एव: just/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• पति-व्रतायाः: of the devoted wife (pativratā)
• पति-व्रतायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-आधारित प्रातिपदिक ‘पतिव्रता’

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness/glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Sambodhana/Karta (Addressee/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-संबन्धि सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कथयामि: I tell/narrate
• कथयामि: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pativratā-mahātmya: steadfast conjugal dharma generates spiritual power and moral authority; Sītā and Anasūyā are paradigms.

Vedantic Theme: Śīla (ethical character) as a purifier of mind (citta-śuddhi), preparing for higher knowledge; devotion expressed as disciplined virtue.

Application: Cultivate fidelity, integrity, and self-restraint; honor mutual responsibility in relationships; treat virtue as a source of strength, not mere social formality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: didactic setting (narrator-to-listener)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.142.17 (Sītā’s tri-karaṇa fidelity as proof-text)

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Anasuya

FAQs

What is the importance of pativratā-dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pativratā-dharma as a spiritually potent form of household virtue, illustrated through Sītā and Anasūyā, and introduces a teaching on its sacred greatness (māhātmya).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it points to dharmic conduct within household life as a source of spiritual merit, which the Garuda Purana often treats as shaping one’s post-death outcomes and higher destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate fidelity, integrity, and responsibility in committed relationships, treating marital ethics as a disciplined spiritual practice rather than merely a social norm.