Shloka 14

सीताहरणोत्तरं लङ्काप्रवेशः

Sita’s Abduction and Ravana’s Entry into Lanka

Devanagari script

अब्रवीच्च दशग्रीवः पिशाचीर्घोरदर्शनाः।।।।यथा नेमां पुमान् स्त्री वा सीतां पश्यत्यसम्मतः।

Transliteration

abravīc ca daśagrīvaḥ piśācīr ghora-darśanāḥ |

yathā na imāṃ pumān strī vā sītāṃ paśyaty asammataḥ ||

Translation

Alors Daśagrīva commanda aux pishācīs au visage effroyable : «Qu’aucun homme ni aucune femme ne voie cette Sītā sans mon assentiment».

Word by Word

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात), conjunction

• daśa-grīvaḥ: Ten-necked (Rāvaṇa)
• daśa-grīvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + grīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; बहुव्रीहिः proper name

• piśācīḥ: female goblins
• piśācīḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piśācī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; addressed/commanded object

• ghora-darśanāḥ: of dreadful appearance
• ghora-darśanāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; agrees with piśācīḥ; कर्मधारयः 'fearful-looking'

• yathā: so that
• yathā: Prayojana/vidhi (प्रयोजन/विधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prakāra-avyaya (प्रकार-अव्यय), 'so that/in such a way that'

• na: not
• na: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-nipāta (निषेध-निपात)

• imām: this (woman)
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; refers to Sītā

• pumān: a man
• pumān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān/puman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject of paśyati

• strī: a woman
• strī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; alternative subject with pumān

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-nipāta (विकल्प-निपात), disjunctive 'or'

• sītām: Sītā
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• paśyati: sees
• paśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• asammataḥ: without permission
• asammataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sammata (सम्+मन्/मत्; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies pumān (and by extension strī); 'not approved/without permission'

Context

Ravana ordered the female goblins of fearful appearance,'Let no outsider whether man or woman, see her, without my permission'.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (Daśagrīva)
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Possessiveness and coercive control violate dharma; restricting another’s autonomy is presented as a symptom of adharma rather than legitimate authority.

What is the narrative situation?

After confining Sītā, Rāvaṇa sets strict surveillance rules for the demoness guards.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is respect for consent and personal dignity—shown here by its absence, sharpening the epic’s ethical contrast.