Shloka 12

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

तथेयं त्वां समासाद्य लङ्का रत्नौघसङ्कुला।।।।अपराधात्तवैकस्य नचिराद्विनशिष्यति।

Transliteration

tathaivaṃ tvāṃ samāsādya laṅkā ratnaughasaṅkulā |

aparādhāt tavaikasya na cirād vinaśiṣyati ||5.21.12||

Translation

Así también esta Laṅkā, colmada de montones de joyas, al haberte obtenido, no tardará en perecer por el delito tuyo, de ti solo.

Word by Word

• tathā: thus/in that way
• tathā: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• iyam: this (she/this)
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• samāsādya: having reached/obtained
• samāsādya: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √sad (धातु) + ā + sam (उपसर्ग) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)

• laṅkā: Lanka
• laṅkā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ratna-ogha-saṅkulā: crowded with heaps of gems
• ratna-ogha-saṅkulā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—"रत्नानाम् ओघः" + तत्पुरुषः—"रत्नौघेन सङ्कुला"

• aparādhāt: because of the offense
• aparādhāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aparādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); cause/source (हेतु/अपादान)

• tava: of you/your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekasya: of one (single person)
• ekasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies tava (tava ekasya)

• na: not
• na: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• cirāt: after long (time)
• cirāt: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषणवत्), "after long"; with na = "not long"

• vinaśiṣyati: will perish/be destroyed
• vinaśiṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु) + vi (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Future tense (लृट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

"Having got you as its ruler, this Lanka filled with gems (riches) will perish withoutdelay for the crime of one individual.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Adharma at the top harms the whole community: one ruler’s wrongdoing can bring down an entire prosperous kingdom.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā directly warns Rāvaṇa that his personal अपराध (offense) will doom jewel-rich Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s truth-speaking (satya) and concern for the wider consequences beyond her personal suffering.