Shloka 12

रावणस्य सीताप्रलोभनम्

Ravana’s Persuasion and Coercive Courtship of Sita

Devanagari script

इदं ते चारु सञ्जातं यौवनं व्यतिवर्तते।यदतीतं पुनर्नैति स्रोतः शीघ्रमपामिव।।5.20.12।।

Transliteration

idaṃ te cāru sañjātaṃ yauvanaṃ vyativartate |

yad atītaṃ punar naiti srotaḥ śīghram apām iva || 5.20.12 ||

Translation

നിനക്കുള്ളിൽ ഉദിച്ച ഈ മനോഹര യൗവനം കടന്നുപോകുന്നു; കഴിഞ്ഞത് വീണ്ടും മടങ്ങിവരുകയില്ല—ജലത്തിന്റെ വേഗധാരപോലെ.

Word by Word

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having created
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund)

• उपरतः: ceased/stopped
• उपरतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपरत (कृदन्त; उप-√रम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP in active sense: ‘ceased’)

• मन्ये: I think
• मन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• रूप-कर्ता: creator of beauty/form
• रूप-कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रूपस्य कर्ता)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विश्वसृक्: creator of the world
• विश्वसृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सृज् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य स्रष्टा)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• रूप-उपमा: a comparison to (your) beauty
• रूप-उपमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + उपमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रूपस्य उपमा)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• अन्या: another
• अन्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तव: of you/for you
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शुभ-दर्शने: O auspicious-looking one
• शुभ-दर्शने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (शुभं दर्शनं यस्याः)

Context

"Your charming youth should not pass away (uselessly). A past event does not come back like a current of stream.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā

FAQs

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

The verse uses impermanence as a tool of persuasion, but dharma teaches that right action is not decided by fleeting youth or fear of loss. Ethical choice must be grounded in righteousness and truth, not urgency and desire.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa argues that Sītā should accept him quickly, claiming youth is transient and once gone cannot be regained.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s constancy (steadfast adherence to marital dharma) stands against time-based pressure and manipulation.