Shloka 20

सीतारावणसंवादः

Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma

Devanagari script

जटी तापसरूपेण मया सह सहानुजः।।3.47.20।।प्रविष्टो दण्डकारण्यं धर्मनित्यो जितेन्द्रियः।

Transliteration

jaṭī tāpasarūpeṇa mayā saha sahānujaḥ | praviṣṭo daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ dharmanityo jitendriyaḥ ||

Translation

ജടാധാരിയായി താപസരൂപത്തിൽ, ധർമ്മനിത്യനും ജിതേന്ദ്രിയനും ആയ രാമൻ, എന്നോടും തന്റെ അനുജനോടും കൂടി ദണ്ഡകാരണ്യത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• जटी: with matted hair
• जटी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तापसरूपेण: in ascetic guise
• तापसरूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa-rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• मया: with me
• मया: Sahakaraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• सह: with
• सह: Sahakaraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (postposition ‘with’)

• सहानुजः: together with his younger brother
• सहानुजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saha-anuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (अनुजेन सह वर्तते/यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• प्रविष्टः: entered
• प्रविष्टः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (entered)

• दण्डकारण्यम्: Dandaka forest
• दण्डकारण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍaka-araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दण्डकस्य अरण्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धर्मनित्यः: ever devoted to dharma
• धर्मनित्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma-nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled
• जितेन्द्रियः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita-indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (इन्द्रियाणि जितानि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Context

Rama who is ever righteous and self-controlled entered the Dandaka forest with matted locks, his brother and me.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daṇḍakāraṇya (Dandaka forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as steady moral discipline: Rāma’s righteousness is inseparable from self-control (jitendriya). Ethical life is shown as consistent conduct even in hardship (forest exile).

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā, speaking to a visitor who appears to be an ascetic (actually Rāvaṇa in disguise), describes how she came with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa into the Daṇḍaka forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s virtue of self-mastery and unwavering commitment to dharma (dharma-nitya, jita-indriya).