Valmiki Ramayana 6.81.5 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 81, Shloka 5

इन्द्रजितो मायासीतावधः

Indrajit’s Illusory Sita Episode and Hanuman’s Rebuke

Devanagari script

इन्द्रजित्तुरथेस्थाप्यसीतांमायामयींतदा ।बलेनमहतावृत्यतस्यावधमरोचयत् ।।।।

Transliteration

indrajit tu rathe sthāpya sītāṃ māyāmayīṃ tadā |

balena mahatā vṛtya tasyā vadham arocayat ||

Translation

तब इन्द्रजित् ने अपने रथ पर माया-निर्मित सीता को बैठाकर, महान् बल से उसे घेरकर, उसके वध की योजना ठानी।

Word by Word

• इन्द्रजित्: Indrajit
• इन्द्रजित्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/particle (contrast/emphasis)

• रथे: in the chariot
• रथे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थाप्य: having placed
• स्थाप्य: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having placed/caused to be placed’

• सीताम्: Sita
• सीताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मायामयीम्: illusory (made by magic)
• मायामयीम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier of सीताम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; मयट्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; ‘made of/consisting of illusion’

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय/adverb of time

• बलेन: with an army/force
• बलेन: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier of बलेन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘great’ (agreeing with बलेन)

• आवृत्य: having surrounded
• आवृत्य: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having surrounded/covered’

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वधम्: killing
• वधम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अरोचयत्: resolved/decided
• अरोचयत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; causative sense ‘made up his mind/approved’

Context

Indrajith, also through a trick, wanted to make illusory Sita and place her in the chariot surrounded by Rakshasas and thought of killing her.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit
• Sita
• Ratha (chariot)
• Rakshasa army (implied)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma through the intention to harm a defenseless figure via deception; dharma in the Ramayana consistently condemns harming the innocent and using falsehood to break righteous resolve.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit stages a spectacle: an illusory Sītā is displayed on a chariot amid troops, setting up a psychological blow against Rāma’s side.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, Sītā’s symbolic purity and Rāma’s commitment to satya/dharma are what Indrajit attempts to exploit through a false appearance.