Valmiki Ramayana 5.21.32: Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 32

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

तस्य ते विग्रहे ताभ्यां युगग्रहणमस्थिरम् ॥३२॥

वृत्रस्येवेन्द्रबाहुभ्यां बाहोरेकस्य विग्रहे ।

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 5.21.32

Transliteration

tasya te vigrahe tābhyāṃ yugagrahaṇam asthiram ||32||

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.

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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

"You will not be able to withstand them in a battle. You will meet the same fate as the one-armed Vritra in a battle with the two-armed Indra.

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.