Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तत उत्थाय वैदेही तेषां मध्ये यशस्विनी । उवाच वाक्‍्यं कल्याणी राम॑ पृथुलवक्षसम्‌,तब उन सबके बीचमें खड़ी होकर कल्याणमयी यशस्विनी सीताने चौड़ी छातीवाले भगवान्‌ श्रीरामसे इस प्रकार कहा--

Transliteration

tata utthāya vaidehī teṣāṁ madhye yaśasvinī | uvāca vākyaṁ kalyāṇī rāmaṁ pṛthulavakṣasam ||

Translation

Then Vaidehī (Sītā), the illustrious and auspicious lady, rose and, standing in the midst of them all, addressed broad-chested Rāma with these words—setting the scene for a morally charged reply spoken openly before the gathered company.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु: √स्था)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable; prior action

• वैदेही: Vaidehī (Sītā)
• वैदेही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, nominative, singular

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, genitive, plural

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, locative, singular

• यशस्विनी: famous, illustrious
• यशस्विनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, nominative, singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• वाक्यम्: speech, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• कल्याणी: auspicious, blessed
• कल्याणी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्याणिन्/कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, nominative, singular

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• पृथुलवक्षसम्: broad-chested (one)
• पृथुलवक्षसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथुल-वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• Rāma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical speech: Sītā rises and speaks publicly, suggesting that counsel and moral reasoning should be offered with courage, clarity, and auspicious intent, especially in moments that test dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya narrates a Rāmāyaṇa episode: Sītā stands up among the assembled group and begins addressing Rāma; this line functions as a transition into her forthcoming statement.