Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 39, Shloka 22

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma

Devanagari script

असत्यशीला विकृता दुर्ग्राह्यहृदयास्सदा।युवत्यः पापसंङ्कल्पाः क्षणमात्राद्विरागिणः।।2.39.22।।

Transliteration

asatyaśīlā vikṛtā durgrāhyahṛdayāḥ sadā |

yuvatyaḥ pāpasaṅkalpāḥ kṣaṇamātrād virāgiṇaḥ || 2.39.22 ||

Translation

On dit que les jeunes femmes aux desseins mauvais sont infidèles dans leur conduite, dévoyées de nature, toujours impénétrables de cœur, et capables de se refroidir en amour en un seul instant.

Word by Word

• asatyaśīlāḥ: of untruthful conduct
• asatyaśīlāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asatya + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Feminine (पुं/स्त्री; here feminine sense), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘asatyaṃ śīlaṃ yeṣām/ yāḥ’ (habit of untruth)

• vikṛtāḥ: perverted/changed
• vikṛtāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikṛta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from vi√kṛ)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); feminine sense

• durgrāhya-hṛdayāḥ: hard-to-read-hearted
• durgrāhya-hṛdayāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durgrāhya + hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘durgrāhyaṃ hṛdayaṃ yāsām’ (whose hearts are hard to grasp)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• yuvatyaḥ: young women
• yuvatyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pāpa-saṅkalpāḥ: evil-intentioned
• pāpa-saṅkalpāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + saṅkalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘pāpaḥ saṅkalpaḥ yāsām’ (evil intentions)

• kṣaṇamātrāt: from a mere moment
• kṣaṇamātrāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘kṣaṇasya mātram’ (mere moment)

• virāgiṇaḥ: quickly disaffected
• virāgiṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: virāgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); feminine sense (ending used for common gender)

Context

Evil-minded young ladies are infidels. They are of perverted nature. They are inscrutable. In an instant they lose their love (for their husbands).

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

It frames Dharma as reliability and truthfulness in relationships; the implied lesson is to reject impulsive, self-serving shifts of affection and instead cultivate steadfast virtue.

What is the narrative situation?

As the household faces the rupture of exile, Sītā is being cautioned through negative exemplars—what conduct should not be imitated.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness (satya) and stability of mind (sthairya) as safeguards against morally erratic behavior.