Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 24

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

प्रणम्यदैवतेभ्यश्चब्राह्मणेभ्यश्चमैथिली ।बद्धाञ्जलिपुटाचेदमुवाचानगिसमीपतः ।।।।

Transliteration

praṇamya daivatebhyaś ca brāhmaṇebhyaś ca maithilī | baddhāñjalipuṭā cedam uvāca agnisamīpataḥ || 6.119.24 ||

Translation

देवांना व ब्राह्मणांना प्रणाम करून, मैथिलीने हात जोडून अग्नीच्या समीपून हे वचन उच्चारले।

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having saluted
• प्रणम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having bowed/saluted’

• दैवतेभ्यः: to the gods
• दैवतेभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी?—here दैवतेभ्यः = चतुर्थी बहुवचन (Dative plural); ‘to the deities’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: to the brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी बहुवचन (Dative plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मैथिली: Maithili (Sita)
• मैथिली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा: with joined palms
• बद्धाञ्जलिपुटा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त, √बन्ध्) + अञ्जलिपुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (बद्धः अञ्जलिपुटः यस्याः सा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘with hands joined (in añjali)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अनग्निसमीपतः: near the fire
• अनग्निसमीपतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (अनग्नेः समीपम्); तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/at near’; here sense: ‘near the fire’

Context

Mythili greeted the gods and brahmanas with joined palms and went near fire and again joined her palms in greeting and spoke as follows.

Characters & Entities

• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Agni (fire)

FAQs

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

Truth is established through accountable testimony: Sītā invokes sacred and social witnesses (gods and brāhmaṇas) before making her declaration.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately before entering the fire, Sītā offers salutations and begins her solemn statement.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and moral courage—she publicly submits her truth to sacred scrutiny.