Valmiki Ramayana 3.49.17 — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 17

सीताहरणम्

Ravana reveals his true form and abducts Sita

Devanagari script

वामेन सीतां पद्माक्षीं मूर्धजेषु करेण सः।।3.49.17।।ऊर्वोस्तु दक्षिणेनैव परिजग्राह पाणिना।

Transliteration

vāmena sītāṃ padmākṣīṃ mūrdhajeṣu kareṇa saḥ | ūrvos tu dakṣiṇenaiva parijagrāha pāṇinā ||

Translation

ដោយដៃឆ្វេង គេបានចាប់នាងសីតាភ្នែកដូចផ្កាឈូកត្រង់សក់ ហើយដោយដៃស្តាំ គេបានក្រសោបរឹតត្បិតក្រោមភ្លៅ។

Word by Word

• वामेन: with the left
• वामेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘करेण’ इति विशेषणम्

• सीताम्: Sita
• सीताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पद्माक्षीम्: lotus-eyed
• पद्माक्षीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म-अक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘पद्मम् इव अक्षी यस्याः’

• मूर्धजेषु: in the hair (on the head)
• मूर्धजेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• करेण: with (his) hand
• करेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ऊर्वोः: on/under the two thighs
• ऊर्वोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th or Locative/7th), द्विवचन (Dual); अर्थतः सप्तमी (under/on the thighs)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• दक्षिणेन: with the right
• दक्षिणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); ‘पाणिना’ इति विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• परिजग्राह: grasped/held
• परिजग्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• पाणिना: with (his) hand
• पाणिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Ravana seized with his left hand the lotus-eyed Sita by the hair and lifted her by the thighs with his right hand.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse highlights adharma: the violation of a woman’s autonomy and dignity through force, underscoring that power used without restraint is ethically corrupt.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa physically seizes Sītā in the forest, initiating the abduction by brute force.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through negation), dharmic restraint and respect for others are implied as virtues—qualities Rāvaṇa abandons here.