Shloka 23

सीताव्यथा

वर्णनम् / Sītā’s Distress and Rāvaṇa’s Attempt at Coercive Allurement

Devanagari script

समीक्षमाणां रुदतीमनिन्दितां सुपक्ष्मताम्रायतशुक्ललोचनाम्।अनुव्रतां राममतीव मैथिलीं प्रलोभयामास वधाय रावणः।।।।

Transliteration

samīkṣamāṇāṃ rudatīm aninditāṃ supakṣmatāmrāyataśuklalocanām |

anuvratāṃ rāmam atīva maithilīṃ pralobhayāmāsa vadhāya rāvaṇaḥ ||

Translation

咎なきマイティリーがあたりを見回して泣いていた—美しい睫毛に縁どられ、目尻がわずかに赤い、広く澄んだ白い眼—その彼女をラーヴァナは誘惑しようとした。だが彼女がラーマへの絶対の貞節を守るのを見るや、殺すと脅すに至った。

Word by Word

• samīkṣamāṇām: glancing/looking
• samīkṣamāṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√īkṣ (धातु) + samīkṣamāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (looking/glancing)

• rudatīm: weeping
• rudatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √rud (धातु) + rudant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (crying)

• aninditām: blameless
• aninditām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-nindita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास (not blameworthy)

• su-pakṣma-tāmrāyata-śukla-locanām: having beautiful-lashed, copper-tinged, wide bright eyes
• su-pakṣma-tāmrāyata-śukla-locanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + pakṣman (प्रातिपदिक) + tāmrāyata (प्रातिपदिक) + śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (yasyaḥ locane su-pakṣme ca tāmrāyate ca śukle ca) — 'having eyes ...'

• anuvratām: devoted, faithful
• anuvratām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'अनुव्रता' = devoted/following vows (esp. devoted to husband)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Vishaya (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• atīva: very much
• atīva: Kriya-viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/तीव्रता-वाचक क्रिया-विशेषण (intensifier adverb)

• maithilīm: Maithili (Sita)
• maithilīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pralobhayāmāsa: tried to entice/allure
• pralobhayāmāsa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√lubh (धातु) + ṇic (णिजन्त)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त-धातु (causative)

• vadhāya: for killing
• vadhāya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे दत्तिविभक्ति (dative of purpose)

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Context

She was emaciated, absorbed in thought of Rama alone and crying and unable to find the end to her grief.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma resists coercion and temptation: Sītā’s satya (truthfulness to her marriage and values) does not yield, even under threat of death.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa attempts persuasion and seduction; failing that, he turns to intimidation and threats against Sītā’s life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ananyatā and satya-niṣṭhā—exclusive devotion and truth-based steadfastness in the face of fear.