Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 25

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

तां कथां श्रोतुमिच्छामि विस्तरेण च मैथिलि।यथाऽनुभूतं कार्त्स्न्येन तन्मे त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि।।2.118.25।।

Transliteration

tāṃ kathāṃ śrotum icchāmi vistareṇa ca maithili | yathānubhūtaṃ kārtsnyena tan me tvaṃ vaktum arhasi ||2.118.25||

Translation

«Ô Maithilī, je souhaite entendre cette histoire en détail ; daigne me la raconter entièrement, telle que tu l’as vécue.»

Word by Word

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; refers to ‘कथाम्’

• कथाम्: story
• कथाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kathā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; purpose

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विस्तरेण: in detail
• विस्तरेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental of manner

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• मैथिलि: O Maithilī
• मैथिलि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• यथा: as/how
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (manner)

• अनुभूतम्: experienced
• अनुभूतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū + anu (धातु) > anubhūta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; used adverbially ‘as experienced’

• कार्त्स्न्येन: completely/in entirety
• कार्त्स्न्येन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtsnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental of extent

• तत्: that (account)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of ‘वक्तुम्’

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वक्तुम्: to tell
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), purpose/complement of ‘अर्हसि’

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

O daughter of Mithila, I would like to hear the story in detail. You should tell me the whole story as you experienced it.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Mithilā

FAQs

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

Satya within dharma: Anasūyā requests a complete, firsthand account—truth grounded in direct experience and careful narration.

What is the narrative situation?

Anasūyā formally asks Sītā to narrate the svayaṃvara and related events in full detail.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Anasūyā’s commitment to completeness and truth (kārtsnya + satya) in understanding sacred history.