Shloka 17

रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः

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

Devanagari script

स त्वमिक्ष्वाकुनाथं वै क्षिपन्निह न लज्जसे।चक्षुषोर्विषयं तस्य न तावदुपगच्छसि।।।।

Transliteration

sa tvam ikṣvākunāthaṃ vai kṣipan iha na lajjase |cakṣuṣor viṣayaṃ tasya na tāvad upagacchasi ||

Translation

それでもなお、そなたはここでイクシュヴァーク族の主を貶して恥じぬ。まだ彼の眼の届くところ——その直前の御前——に至っていないからだ。

Word by Word

• सः: he/that (you)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• इक्ष्वाकुनाथम्: lord of the Ikṣvākus (Rama)
• इक्ष्वाकुनाथम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ikṣvāku-nātha (प्रातिपदिक; इक्ष्वाकु + नाथ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ikṣvākūnām nāthaḥ)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/उपपद-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• क्षिपन्: insulting, deriding
• क्षिपन्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣipan (कृदन्त; √kṣip (धातु) + शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), ‘while insulting/deriding’

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• लज्जसे: you are ashamed
• लज्जसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lajj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• चक्षुषोः: of the two eyes
• चक्षुषोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; ‘of (his) two eyes’

• विषयम्: range, field (of sight)
• विषयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे ‘reach/come into range’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• तावत्: until then
• तावत्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक अव्यय (until that point/so much)

• उपगच्छसि: you approach/come within
• उपगच्छसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

"You are not ashamed of belittling Rama in his absence. You have not yet walked into his sight.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma (Ikṣvākunātha)
• Ikṣvāku dynasty
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects dishonorable speech and backbiting: it is cowardly to insult a virtuous person only in their absence.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā points out that Rāvaṇa dares to insult Rāma only because Rāma is not physically present before him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to satya and honor—Sītā demands integrity in word and deed, even from an enemy.