Shloka 6

सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा

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

Devanagari script

स्वदारनिरतस्त्वं च नित्यमेव नृपात्मज।।3.9.6।।धर्मिष्ठस्सत्यसन्धश्च पितुर्निर्देशकारकः।

Transliteration

svadāra-niratas tvaṁ ca nityam eva nṛpātmaja |

dharmiṣṭhaḥ satya-sandhaś ca pitur nirdeśa-kārakaḥ || 3.9.6 ||

Translation

ഹേ രാജകുമാരാ, നീ നിത്യം സ്വന്തം പത്നിയോടു നിഷ്ഠയുള്ളവൻ; നീ ധർമ്മിഷ്ഠനും വചനസത്യനുമായും പിതാവിന്റെ ആജ്ഞ പാലിക്കുന്നവനുമായിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्व-दार-निरतः: devoted to one’s own wife
• स्व-दार-निरतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास: ‘स्वेषु दारेषु निरतः’

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (adverbial accusative) ‘always’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• नृप-आत्मज: O prince (king’s son)
• नृप-आत्मज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘नृपस्य आत्मजः’

• धर्मिष्ठः: most righteous
• धर्मिष्ठः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + इष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अतिशय (superlative sense)

• सत्य-सन्धः: true to his vow / devoted to truth
• सत्य-सन्धः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सत्ये सन्धः/सत्ये स्थितः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• पितुः: of (your) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• निर्देश-कारकः: one who obeys (his) command
• निर्देश-कारकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्देश (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘निर्देशस्य कारकः’ = one who carries out instructions

Context

O prince, you are always faithful to your wife. You are righteous, truthful and obedient to your father's orders.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• father (Daśaratha, implied)
• Lakshmana (implicit via the larger Aranyakanda context, not named in this verse)

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as integrity in personal conduct—faithfulness in marriage, truthfulness in speech and vows, and dutiful obedience to rightful parental instruction.

What is the narrative situation?

In Aranyakanda, Rama is being described and evaluated through a set of ideal royal virtues, emphasizing why he is regarded as a model of righteous conduct.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Maryādā (ethical restraint): devotion to one’s spouse, commitment to truth (satya-sandha), and dutiful compliance with the father’s command.