Valmiki Ramayana 5.21.3 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 3

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

निवर्तय मनो मत्तः स्वजने क्रियतां मनः।।।।न मां प्रार्थयितुं युक्तं सुसिद्धिमिव पापकृत्।

Transliteration

nivartaya mano mattaḥ sva-jane kriyatāṃ manaḥ | na māṃ prārthayituṃ yuktaṃ su-siddhim iva pāpa-kṛt ||

Translation

Détourne ton esprit de moi; porte ton désir vers tes propres femmes. Il ne te sied pas de me solliciter, pas plus qu’un fauteur de mal ne peut prétendre à l’accomplissement béni.

Word by Word

• निवर्तय: turn back/withdraw
• निवर्तय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मत्तः: from me
• मत्तः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th, Ablative), एकवचन

• स्वजने: among your own people (own wives/kin)
• स्वजने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th, Locative), एकवचन

• क्रियताम्: let it be fixed/placed
• क्रियताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रार्थयितुम्: to seek/desire
• प्रार्थयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), अव्ययभावः

• युक्तम्: proper/appropriate
• युक्तम्: Pratishedha-vishaya (प्रतिषेधविषय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate adjective)

• सु-सिद्धिम्: good success/blessed attainment
• सु-सिद्धिम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सु + सिद्धिः

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

• पाप-कृत्: a sinner/evil-doer
• पाप-कृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'पापं करोति' इति

Context

"Turn your mind away from me and fix it on your wives. You should not expect to seek me just as a sinner cannot hope to seek blessedness.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa (implied as addressee)

FAQs

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

Respect for marital fidelity and consent: desiring another’s spouse is adharma, and moral ends cannot be reached through immoral intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā directly refuses Rāvaṇa’s advances in Aśoka-vana and instructs him to desist.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s chastity (pativratā-dharma) and unwavering adherence to truth and propriety.