Shloka 29

सीताहरणम्

Ravana reveals his true form and abducts Sita

Devanagari script

हन्तेदानीं सकामास्तु कैकेयी सह बान्धवैः।।3.49.29।।ह्रिये यद्धर्मकामस्य धर्मपत्नी यशस्विनः।

Transliteration

hantedānīṁ sakāmāstu kaikeyī saha bāndhavaiḥ || 3.49.29 || hriye yad dharmakāmasya dharmapatnī yaśasvinaḥ |

Translation

അയ്യോ! ഇനി കൈകേയി തന്റെ ബന്ധുക്കളോടുകൂടെ ആഗ്രഹം നിറവേറ്റട്ടെ; ധർമ്മനിഷ്ഠനും യശസ്വിയുമായ രാമന്റെ ധർമ്മപത്നിയായ സീതയെ ലജ്ജയിൽ അപഹരിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• हन्त: alas
• हन्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हन्त (अव्यय)
• Form: शोक/आक्रोश-निपात (alas)

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (now)

• सकामा: with desires fulfilled
• सकामा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective to ‘कैकेयी’

• अस्तु: may (she) be
• अस्तु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyī
• कैकेयी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकार-अव्यय (with)

• बान्धवैः: relatives
• बान्धवैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; accompaniment with ‘सह’

• ह्रिये: is being carried away
• ह्रिये: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (is being carried away)

• यत्: that / since
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to the clause (‘since/that’)

• धर्मकामस्य: of the dharma-loving one
• धर्मकामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘desirous of dharma’

• धर्मपत्नी: lawful wife
• धर्मपत्नी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘lawful wife’ (wife according to dharma)

• यशस्विनः: of the glorious one
• यशस्विनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘धर्मकामस्य’

Context

Alas, the lawful wife of the glorious and righteous Rama is being abducted now. LetKaikeyi along with her relations be happy with her desire fulfilled.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma

FAQs

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

When dharma is violated, suffering spreads beyond the immediate wrong; the verse mourns how unrighteous choices (like Kaikeyī’s) can set the stage for further injustice.

What is the narrative situation?

In the midst of abduction, Sītā bitterly laments that Kaikeyī’s wish (Rāma’s exile) seems ‘fulfilled’ as Sītā is now being taken away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fidelity to dharma and marital legitimacy: Sītā identifies herself as Rāma’s dharmapatnī, underscoring the gravity of the crime.