Shloka 46

सीतारावणसंवादः

Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma

Devanagari script

यदन्तरं काञ्चनसीसलोहयोर्यदन्तरं चन्दनवारिपङ्कयोः।यदन्तरं हस्तिबिडालयोर्वने तदन्तरं दाशरथेस्तवैव च।।3.47.46।।

Transliteration

yadantaraṁ kāñcanasīsalohayor yadantaraṁ candanavāripaṅkayoḥ | yadantaraṁ hastibiḍālayor vane tadantaraṁ dāśaratheḥ tavaiva ca || 3.47.46 ||

Translation

സ്വർണ്ണത്തിനും സീസ-ലോഹത്തിനും ഇടയിലെത്ര വ്യത്യാസമോ, ചന്ദനത്തിനും ചെളിക്കും ഇടയിലെത്ര വ്യത്യാസമോ, വനത്തിൽ ആനയ്ക്കും പൂച്ചയ്ക്കും ഇടയിലെത്ര വ്യത്യാസമോ—അതുപോലെ തന്നെയാണ് നിനക്കും ദശരഥപുത്രൻ രാമനും ഇടയിലെ അന്തരം.

Word by Word

• yat: whatever/that which
• yat: Visheshya/Anvaya-link (विशेष्य/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• antaram: difference, interval
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāñcana-sīsa-lohayoḥ: of gold and lead and iron (i.e., between them)
• kāñcana-sīsa-lohayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāñcana + sīsa + loha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa (द्वन्द्व), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन); Neuter/collective sense (समाहार)

• yat: whatever
• yat: Visheshya/Anvaya-link (विशेष्य/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• antaram: difference
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• candana-vāri-paṅkayoḥ: of sandalwood and water and mud/slime (i.e., between them)
• candana-vāri-paṅkayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana + vāri + paṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa (द्वन्द्व), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन); Neuter/collective sense

• yat: whatever
• yat: Visheshya/Anvaya-link (विशेष्य/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• antaram: difference
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• hasti-biḍālayoḥ: of an elephant and a cat (i.e., between them)
• hasti-biḍālayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasti + biḍāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva-samāsa (द्वन्द्व), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) in sense

• vanē: in the forest
• vanē: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that (same)
• tat: Visheshya/Anvaya-link (विशेष्य/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• antaram: difference
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• dāśarathēḥ: of the son of Daśaratha (Rama)
• dāśarathēḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• tava: of you
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha-marker (सम्बन्ध-निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चय/एवकार)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

Context

The difference between you and Rama is the difference between gold and lead, sandal and slime, an elephant and a cat of the forest.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• Dāśarathi (Rāma)
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) in self-evaluation is part of Dharma; recognizing purity, worth, and rightful authority prevents adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca continues to dissuade Rāvaṇa by stressing the vast disparity between him and Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s moral ‘purity’ and excellence (likened to gold and sandal), contrasted with baseness and impurity.