Shloka 22

आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description

Devanagari script

यदि तस्यामभिप्रायो भार्यार्थे तव जायते।शीघ्रमुद्ध्रियतां पादो जयार्थमिह दक्षिणः।।।।

Transliteration

yadi tasyām abhiprāyo bhāryārthe tava jāyate |

śīghram uddhriyatāṁ pādo jayārtham iha dakṣiṇaḥ ||

Translation

അവളെ ഭാര്യയായി സ്വീകരിക്കാനുള്ള ആഗ്രഹം നിനക്കുണ്ടാകുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ഉടൻ തന്നെ വിജയാർത്ഥം ഇവിടെ നിന്ന് നിന്റെ വലതുകാൽ ഉയർത്തി പുറപ്പെടുക.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: śarthe-avyaya (conditional particle)

• तस्याम्: in her / regarding her
• तस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; pronoun; viṣaya/adhikaraṇa ‘in her/with regard to her’

• अभिप्रायः: intention, desire
• अभिप्रायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiprāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• भार्या-अर्थे: for (making her) a wife
• भार्या-अर्थे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; purpose sense

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• जायते: arises, is born
• जायते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन्) (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghram (अव्यय)
• Form: kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverb)

• उद्ध्रियताम्: let (it) be raised
• उद्ध्रियताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + √hṛ (हृ) (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्/imperative), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; karmani-prayoga (passive imperative): ‘let it be raised’

• पादः: foot
• पादः: Karta (कर्ता) (of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject of passive verb

• जय-अर्थम्: for victory
• जय-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; purpose accusative (prayojana)

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: deśa-avyaya (place adverb)

• दक्षिणः: right (side)
• दक्षिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of पादः

Context

If you intend her to be your wife, raise your right foot now and proceed to win her over.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā (implied)

FAQs

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

It shows how auspicious language and ritual imagery can be used to cloak unethical aims; dharma requires that means and ends both be righteous, not merely ‘successful’.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā presses Rāvaṇa to act immediately, framing the abduction as a ‘victory’ to be pursued.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is deliberation guided by dharma; haste in passion is presented as a path to wrongdoing.