Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 31

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

सातप्तनवहेमाभातप्तकाञ्चनभूषणा ।।।।पपातज्वलनंदीप्तंसर्वलोकस्यसन्निधौ ।

Transliteration

sā tapta-nava-hemābhā tapta-kāñcana-bhūṣaṇā |

papāta jvalanaṃ dīptaṃ sarva-lokasya sannidhau ||

Translation

彼女は—新たに精錬された黄金のように輝き、灼き立つ金の装身具に飾られて—万民の面前で燃え盛る火へと身を投じた。

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• तप्तनवहेमाभा: having the luster of heated new gold
• तप्तनवहेमाभा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त, √तप्) + नव (प्रातिपदिक) + हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + आभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; सा इति विशेषणम्

• तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणा: adorned with heated-gold ornaments
• तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त, √तप्) + काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (तप्तकाञ्चनस्य भूषणानि यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; सा इति विशेषणम्

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ज्वलनम्: into the fire
• ज्वलनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वलन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• दीप्तम्: blazing
• दीप्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त, √दीप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; ज्वलनम् इति विशेषणम्

• सर्वलोकस्य: of all the world
• सर्वलोकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

• सन्निधौ: in the presence
• सन्निधौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

Context

All created beings and forms witnessed large eyed Sita descending on the golden altar, into the fire like goddess of fortune descending on her vehicle.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

Purity and truth are portrayed as self-evident like refined gold: dharma is not mere claim but tested integrity, made visible under trial.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā physically enters/falls into the blazing fire before the assembled world.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral radiance—Sītā’s purity is symbolized through gold-like brilliance even amid ordeal.