Shloka 16

रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः

Ravana’s Threats and Sita’s Dharma-Centered Reply

Devanagari script

यथा दृप्तश्च मातङ्गः शशश्च सद्दृशो युधि।तथा मातङ्गवद्रामस्त्वं नीच: शशवत् स्मृतः।।।।

Transliteration

yathā dṛptaś ca mātaṅgaḥ śaśaś ca saddṛśo yudhi |tathā mātaṅgavad rāmas tvaṃ nīcaḥ śaśavat smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

戦において、驕れる象とただの兎とが釣り合わぬように、ラーマは象のごとく、そなた卑しき者は兎として語り継がれる。

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), उपमान-प्रदर्शक (comparative particle)

• दृप्तः: arrogant, proud
• दृप्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛpta (कृदन्त; √dṛp (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मातङ्गः: elephant
• मातङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शशः: hare, rabbit
• शशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सद्दृशः: similar, comparable
• सद्दृशः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saddṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival use)

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तथा: so, in the same way
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), तदनुरूप-प्रदर्शक (correlative particle)

• मातङ्गवत्: like an elephant
• मातङ्गवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mātaṅga + vat (प्रातिपदिक + तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग (प्रायः), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नीचः: base, low
• नीचः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शशवत्: like a hare
• शशवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śaśa + vat (प्रातिपदिक + तद्धित)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison)

• स्मृतः: is regarded/said
• स्मृतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛta (कृदन्त; √smṛ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is considered/said’ (passive sense)

Context

"It is like a proud elephant fighting in war with a rabbit. Rama is like an elephant and you are like an ordinary rabbit people speak of.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma condemns arrogance rooted in wrongdoing; Sītā states a truth meant to puncture Rāvaṇa’s pride and reveal the imbalance between dharmic power and adharmic posturing.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā continues her rebuke, asserting that Rāvaṇa is no match for Rāma, using a battle-simile (elephant vs. hare).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral confidence: Sītā’s certainty in Rāma’s dharmic strength and her refusal to be psychologically dominated.