Shloka 50

सीतारावणसंवादः

Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma

Devanagari script

तां वेपमानामुपलक्ष्य सीतां स रावणो मृत्युसमप्रभावः।कुलं बलं नाम च कर्म चात्मनः समाचचक्षे भयकारणार्थम्।।3.47.50।।

Transliteration

tāṃ vepamānām upalakṣya sītāṃ sa rāvaṇo mṛtyu-samaprabhāvaḥ | kulaṃ balaṃ nāma ca karma cātmanaḥ samācacakṣe bhaya-kāraṇārtham || 3.47.50 ||

Translation

വിറയുന്ന സീതയെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, മരണത്തോളം ഭയങ്കരനായ രാവണൻ ഭയം ജനിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ തന്റെ കുലവും ബലവും നാമവും കർമ്മങ്ങളും വിവരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• vēpamānām: trembling
• vēpamānām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vip (धातु) → vepamāna (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ/śatṛ), Feminine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies 'sītām'

• upalakṣya: having observed
• upalakṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + lakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), indeclinable verbal; 'having noticed/seeing'

• sītām: Sītā
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• mṛtyu-sama-prabhāvaḥ: having power like Death
• mṛtyu-sama-prabhāvaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛtyu + sama + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa with upamā; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies 'rāvaṇaḥ'

• kulam: lineage, clan
• kulam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• balam: strength
• balam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• nāma: name (as such)
• nāma: Sambandha-marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक) / nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle meaning 'as for/name-wise' (नाम-शब्दः)

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

• karma: deeds
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• ātmanaḥ: of himself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

• samācacakṣē: recounted, declared
• samācacakṣē: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā + cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Ātmanepada, Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• bhaya-kāraṇa-artham: for the purpose of causing fear
• bhaya-kāraṇa-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya + kāraṇa + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; adverbial purpose (प्रयोजनार्थे द्वितीया)

Context

Beholding Sita who was trembling, Ravana, powerful like death, started telling about himself, his clan, his strength and his deeds to instil more fear in her.ittayārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē saptacatvāriṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fortyseventh sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Death (Mṛtyu, as simile)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma by contrast: using power and reputation to terrorize the vulnerable violates righteousness and truth-centered conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa, seeing Sītā shaken, attempts psychological domination by boasting of his background and might.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively framed: Rāvaṇa’s coercive pride; implicitly, Sītā’s moral resistance is set against intimidation.