Shloka 18

सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा

Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association

Devanagari script

तस्यैव तपसो विघ्नं कर्तुमिन्द्रश्शचीपतिः।।3.9.18।।खङ्गपाणिरथागच्छदाश्रमं भटरूपधृत्।

Transliteration

tasyaiva tapaso vighnaṃ kartuṃ indraḥ śacīpatiḥ ||3.9.18||

khaṅgapāṇir athāgacchad āśramaṃ bhaṭarūpadhṛt |

Translation

അതേ തപസ്സിന് വിഘ്നം വരുത്തുവാൻ ശചീപതിയായ ഇന്ദ്രൻ, കൈയിൽ ഖഡ്ഗം ധരിച്ചു, ഭടസേവകന്റെ വേഷം എടുത്ത് ആശ്രമത്തിലേക്ക് വന്നു.

Word by Word

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• tad-āśrama-pade: at that hermitage-site
• tad-āśrama-pade: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (tasya āśramasya pade = at the place of that hermitage); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• niśitaḥ: sharp
• niśitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √niś (धातु) / niśita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त/विशेषण; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'khaṅgaḥ' इति विशेषणम्

• khaṅgaḥ: sword
• khaṅgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uttamaḥ: excellent
• uttamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'khaṅgaḥ' इति विशेषणम्

• saḥ: that (sword)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nyāsa-vidhinā: by the procedure of deposit (as a trust)
• nyāsa-vidhinā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (nyāsasya vidhiḥ = manner of deposit/trust); पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• dattaḥ: was given / deposited
• dattaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate participle 'was given/deposited'

• puṇye: holy
• puṇye: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'tapasi' इति विशेषणम्

• tapasi: in penance
• tapasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• tiṣṭhataḥ: of (him) abiding / practicing
• tiṣṭhataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; 'of (the ascetic) who is abiding'

Context

O mighty-armed one, there dwelt in the past an ascetic, noble and truthful in a sacred forest where animals and birds lived merrily together.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Indra
• Śacī
• Ascetic (from prior verse)
• Āśrama (hermitage)
• Sword (khaṅga)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes vigilance against deception and tests: even sacred practice may face deliberate obstruction, requiring steadiness in truth and discipline.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā continues her exemplum: Indra approaches the ascetic’s hermitage in disguise to disrupt his austerities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is steadfast tapas supported by satya—remaining unwavering even when challenged by powerful, deceptive forces.