Shloka 1

रावणस्यात्मप्रशंसा लङ्कावर्णनं च

Ravana’s Self-Praise and the Description of Lanka

Devanagari script

एवं बृवन्त्यां सीतायां संरब्दः परुषं वचः।ललाटे भृकुटीं कृत्वा रावणः प्रत्युवाच ह।।।।

Transliteration

evaṃ bṛvantyāṃ sītāyāṃ saṃrabdhaḥ paruṣaṃ vacaḥ | lalāṭe bhṛkuṭīṃ kṛtvā rāvaṇaḥ pratyuvāca ha || 3.48.1 ||

Translation

സീത ഇങ്ങനെ പറയുമ്പോൾ രാവണൻ ക്രോധത്തോടെ ജ്വലിച്ചു; നെറ്റിയിൽ ഭ്രൂകുടി ചുളിച്ച് അവളോടു കഠിനവചനങ്ങളാൽ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• evam: thus, in this way
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (प्रकार)

• bṛvantyām: while (she) was speaking
• bṛvantyām: Saptamī-samānādhikaraṇa (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु) → bṛvantī (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), Feminine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; with 'sītāyām' forms locative absolute

• sītāyām: when Sītā (was)
• sītāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• saṅrabdaḥ: enraged
• saṅrabdaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + rabdhá (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; predicate/qualifier of 'rāvaṇaḥ'

• paruṣam: harsh
• paruṣam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; qualifies 'vacaḥ'

• vacaḥ: words, speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana/vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (vacas is often neuter sg.)

• lalāṭē: on the forehead
• lalāṭē: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lalāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• bhṛkuṭīm: a frown (knitted brow)
• bhṛkuṭīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛkuṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable verbal

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

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada, Third person, Singular

• ha: indeed/then (narrative)
• ha: Vākyālaṅkāra (वाक्यालङ्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; narrative particle (स्म/ह)

Context

Addressed thus by Sita, Ravana, his anger roused, knitted his eyebrows with a frown on his forehead and replied to her harshly:

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It signals the moral danger of anger: harsh speech arising from rage is a marker of adharma and loss of self-restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sītā’s firm refusal, Rāvaṇa becomes furious and begins responding aggressively.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively: lack of self-control (krodha) in Rāvaṇa; implicitly, Sītā’s composure provokes his rage.