Shloka 22

रावणस्य सीताप्रलोभनम्

Ravana’s Attempt to Allure Sita

Devanagari script

भजस्व सीते मामेव भर्ताहं सदृशस्तव।यौवनं ह्यध्रुवं भीरु रमस्वेह मया सह।।3.55.22।।

Transliteration

bhajasva sīte mām eva bhartāhaṃ sadṛśas tava |

yauvanaṃ hy adhruvaṃ bhīru ramasveha mayā saha ||3.55.22||

Translation

സീതേ, എന്നെയേ വരിക്ക; ഞാൻ നിനക്കു യോജ്യനായ ഭർത്താവാണ്. ഭീരുവേ, യൗവനം നിശ്ചയമായും അനിശ്ചിതം—ഇവിടെ അത് നിലനിൽക്കുമ്പോൾ എന്നോടൊപ്പം രമിക്ക.

Word by Word

• भजस्व: choose; accept
• भजस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सीते: O Sita
• सीते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (vocative singular)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative singular)

• एव: alone; indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• भर्ता: husband
• भर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (nominative singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा एकवचन

• सदृशः: suitable; befitting
• सदृशः: Vidhaya (विधेय/प्रेडिकेट)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (nominative singular)

• तव: for you; your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular)

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (nominative/accusative singular)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (for/indeed)

• अध्रुवम्: impermanent
• अध्रुवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing with यौवनम्)

• भीरु: O timid one
• भीरु: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन (vocative singular)

• रमस्व: enjoy; sport
• रमस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• मया: with me
• मया: Sahakaraka (सह/सहयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• सह: with
• सह: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-प्रयोगे अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

Context

O Sita! take refuge only in me. I am a befitting husband to you. O timid one! youth is impermanent. Enjoy (your life) with me while it lasts.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā

FAQs

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

It shows adharma as persuasion: invoking impermanence to justify betrayal. True dharma does not use philosophical truths to excuse wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa directly urges Sītā to accept him as husband, using allure and the argument that youth is fleeting.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s integrity and marital fidelity are implicitly foregrounded, since she is being enticed to abandon dharma.