Shloka 2

सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा

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

Devanagari script

अयं धर्मस्सुसूक्ष्मेण विधिना प्राप्यते महान्।निवृत्तेन तु शक्योऽयं व्यसनात्कामजादिह।।3.9.2।।

Transliteration

ayaṃ dharmaḥ susūkṣmeṇa vidhinā prāpyate mahān | nivṛttena tu śakyo ’yaṃ vyasanāt kāmajād iha ||

Translation

ഈ മഹത്തായ ധർമ്മമാർഗം അതിസൂക്ഷ്മമായ ശാസ്ത്രീയവിധിയാൽ മാത്രമേ പ്രാപ്യമാകൂ; കാമത്തിൽ നിന്നുയരുന്ന വ്യസനങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് വിരക്തനായവനാൽ മാത്രമേ ഇവിടെ അത് സാധ്യമാകൂ.

Word by Word

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• धर्मः: dharma/righteous path
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुसूक्ष्मेण: by a very subtle
• सुसूक्ष्मेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुसूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vidhinā)

• विधिना: by method/means
• विधिना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying dharmaḥ)

• निवृत्तेन: by one who has withdrawn (from vice)
• निवृत्तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि+वृत् (धातु) (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘by one who has refrained/turned back’ (instrumental of agent/means)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• शक्यः: possible/feasible
• शक्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (प्रातिपदिक; शक् धातु से निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to dharmaḥ)

• व्यसनात्: from vice/addiction
• व्यसनात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• कामजात्: born of desire
• कामजात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + जात (कृदन्त; जन् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कामात् जातम्’ (born of desire) (qualifying vyasanāt)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

Context

This great path of dharma you are following now can be attained only through subtle means by one free from addiction born of passion.

Characters & Entities

• dharma
• vidhi (discipline/method)
• kāma (desire)

FAQs

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

Dharma is portrayed as subtle and requires inner restraint; freedom from kāma-driven vyasana is necessary to truly sustain righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

A moral instruction is being delivered: the speaker frames dharma as difficult and refined, warning that desire-based addictions obstruct it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-mastery (nivr̥tti) and disciplined discernment—choosing restraint over impulse.