Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 32

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

तस्य ते विग्रहे ताभ्यां युगग्रहणमस्थिरम्।।।।वृत्रस्येवेन्द्रबाहुभ्यां बाहोरेकस्य विग्रहे।

Transliteration

tasya te vigrahe tābhyāṃ yugagrahaṇam asthiram |

vṛtrasya evendra-bāhubhyāṃ bāhor ekasya vigrahe ||

Translation

ആ രണ്ടു മഹാവീരന്മാരോടുള്ള യുദ്ധത്തിൽ നീ സ്ഥിരമായി നിലകൊള്ളാൻ കഴിയില്ല. ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ പ്രബലഭുജങ്ങൾക്കെതിരെ ഏകബാഹുവായ വൃത്രൻ നശിച്ചതുപോലെ, നീയും ഏകബാഹുവിന്റെ പോരാട്ടത്തിൽ അതേ ഗതി പ്രാപിക്കും.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (your)

• विग्रहे: in battle/struggle
• विग्रहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• ताभ्याम्: by those two
• ताभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• युगग्रहणम्: the (simultaneous) seizing as a pair
• युगग्रहणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय तत्पुरुष (युगस्य ग्रहणम् = seizing as a pair / simultaneous seizure); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nominative singular

• अस्थिरम्: unstable/not firm (i.e., not tenable)
• अस्थिरम्: Vidhana (विधान/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective agreeing with युगग्रहणम्; Neuter, Nominative singular

• वृत्रस्य: of Vṛtra
• वृत्रस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-प्रदर्शक

• इन्द्रबाहुभ्याम्: by Indra's two arms
• इन्द्रबाहुभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रस्य बाहू); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Instrumental dual

• बाहोः: of the arm
• बाहोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• एकस्य: of one (single)
• एकस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying बाहोः; Masculine, Genitive singular

• विग्रहे: in the struggle (of)
• विग्रहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

Context

"O night-ranger! Enjoy your wives. Take care of them. Taking your example, others' wives also deserve to be protected.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (implied as the second)
• Indra
• Vṛtra

FAQs

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

Adharma invites inevitable retribution; power used unrighteously collapses before dharmic force.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā warns Rāvaṇa that he cannot withstand Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa together, using a Vedic-Itihāsa analogy (Indra–Vṛtra).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearless truth-speaking—Sītā confronts Rāvaṇa with consequences without intimidation.