Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 68, Shloka 12

सीताया यशोधर्मविचारः

Sita’s Counsel on Honor, Rescue-Strategy, and Hanuman’s Reassurance

Devanagari script

बलै स्समग्रैर्यदि मां हत्वा रावणमाहवे।विजयी स्वां पुरीं रामो नयेत्तत्स्याद्यशस्करम्।।।।

Transliteration

balaiḥ samagrair yadi māṃ hatvā rāvaṇam āhave | vijayī svāṃ purīṃ rāmo nayet tat syād yaśaskaram ||

Translation

Jika Rāma, setelah menewaskan Rāvaṇa di medan perang bersama seluruh bala tenteranya, kembali dengan kemenangan dan membawa aku ke kotanya sendiri, itulah yang benar-benar mendatangkan kemuliaan.

Word by Word

• बलैः: with forces/armies
• बलैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• समग्रैः: with entire (forces)
• समग्रैः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) बलैः

• यदि: if
• यदि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• विजयी: victorious
• विजयी: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) रामः

• स्वाम्: his own
• स्वाम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) पुरीम्

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• नयेत्: should take/lead
• नयेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; वाक्यविषय (that act)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अयशस्करम्: bringing disgrace
• अयशस्करम्: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयशस्-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying) तत्; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अयशसः करः = causing disgrace)

Context

'When Rama slays Ravana and his entire army and takes me to his city after becoming victorious it will add glory to him.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as rightful restoration: the wrong (abduction) should be answered through just victory and public re-establishment of order, not by a private shortcut.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā explains why Rāma’s own conquest—defeating Rāvaṇa and returning her honorably—matters for dharmic resolution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s commitment to maryādā (propriety) and to Rāma’s rightful fame earned through righteous action.