Shloka 3

अग्निपरीक्षासाक्ष्यं

Agni’s Testimony and Sītā’s Revalidation

Devanagari script

तरुणादित्यसङ्काशंतप्तकाञ्चनभूषणाम् ।रक्ताम्बरधरांबालांसीलकुञ्चितमूर्थजाम् ।।।।अक्लिष्टमाल्याभरणांतथारूपामनिन्दिताम् ।ददौरामायवैदेहीमङ्केकृत्वाविभावसुः ।।।।

Transliteration

taruṇādityasaṅkāśāṁ taptakāñcanabhūṣaṇām |

raktāmbaradharāṁ bālāṁ nīlakuñcitamūrdhajām ||

akliṣṭamālyābharaṇāṁ tathārūpām aninditām |

dadau rāmāya vaidehīm aṅke kṛtvā vibhāvasuḥ ||

Translation

Éclatante comme le jeune soleil levant, parée d’ornements d’or fin, vêtue de rouge, jeune, aux cheveux noirs et bouclés—portant guirlandes et parures sans souillure, telle qu’auparavant—Vibhāvasu (Agni) prit dans ses bras l’irréprochable Vaidehī et la rendit à Rāma.

Word by Word

• तरुणादित्यसङ्काशम्: like the rising sun
• तरुणादित्यसङ्काशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरुण + आदित्य + सङ्काश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies वैदेहीम्): 'like the young sun'

• तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणाम्: adorned with gold ornaments
• तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त + काञ्चन + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies वैदेहीम्): 'adorned with heated/polished gold ornaments'

• रक्ताम्बरधराम्: wearing red garments
• रक्ताम्बरधराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + अम्बर + धर (प्रातिपदिक; धर from √धृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बालाम्: young
• बालाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजाम्: with black curly hair
• नीलकुञ्चितमूर्धजाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + कुञ्चित + मूर्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्: 'with black curly hair'

• अक्लिष्टमाल्याभरणाम्: with fresh garlands and ornaments
• अक्लिष्टमाल्याभरणाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्लिष्ट + माल्य + आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्: 'with un-withered garlands and ornaments'

• तथारूपाम्: in the same form as before
• तथारूपाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्: 'of the same form'

• अनिन्दिताम्: blameless
• अनिन्दिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिन्दित (प्रातिपदिक; from √निन्द् + क्त, with negation)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रामाय: to Rama
• रामाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वैदेहीम्: Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेहीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अङ्के: in the lap/arms
• अङ्के: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• विभावसुः: Vibhavasu (Fire-god)
• विभावसुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभावसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"Mythili is unsullied in the three worlds. Renouncing her is not feasible just as fame and as she is like my own self."

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vaidehi (Sita)
• Vibhavasu (Agni / Fire-god)

FAQs

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

Dharma here emphasizes the public restoration of truth (satya) and honor: Sītā’s integrity is not merely asserted but formally vindicated, so righteousness can stand unchallenged before society.

What is the narrative situation?

After the ordeal of fire, Agni (Vibhāvasu) physically presents Sītā back to Rāma, demonstrating her untouched purity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s aninditā (blamelessness) and steadfast chastity, along with the epic’s insistence that truth be made manifest.