Shloka 14

रावणस्य सीताप्रलोभनम्

Ravana’s Attempt to Allure Sita

Devanagari script

दश राक्षसकोट्यश्च द्वाविंशतिरथापराः।तेषां प्रभुरहं सीते सर्वेषां भीमकर्मणाम्।।3.55.14।।वर्जयित्वा जरावृद्धान्बालांश्च रजनीचरान्।

Transliteration

daśa rākṣasakoṭyaś ca dvāviṃśatir athāparāḥ |

teṣāṃ prabhur ahaṃ sīte sarveṣāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām ||3.55.14||

varjayitvā jarāvṛddhān bālāṃś ca rajanīcarān |

Translation

“ହେ ସୀତେ, ରଜନୀଚରମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରୁ ବୃଦ୍ଧ ଓ ବାଳମାନଙ୍କୁ ବାଦ ଦେଲେ, ଦଶ କୋଟି ରାକ୍ଷସ ଏବଂ ତାହାଠାରୁ ଅଧିକ ବାଇଶ କୋଟି—ଭୀମକର୍ମୀ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପ୍ରଭୁ ମୁଁ ହେଉଛି।”

Word by Word

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saṅkhyā (numeral/संख्या), indeclinable-like; qualifying koṭyaḥ

• rākṣasa-koṭyaḥ: crores of demons
• rākṣasa-koṭyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग); samāsa: rākṣasānāṃ koṭyaḥ = 'crores of rākṣasas'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• dvāviṃśatiḥ: twenty-two
• dvāviṃśatiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvāviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Saṅkhyā (numeral/संख्या), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग); qualifying (koṭyaḥ) understood

• atha: and/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Anantaram/continuative particle (atha/अथ)

• aparāḥ: additional/other
• aparāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग); qualifying koṭyaḥ (understood)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka (pronominal)

• prabhuḥ: lord/master
• prabhuḥ: Pradhāna-kartṛ (प्रधानकर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• sīte: O Sītā
• sīte: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग)

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग); viśeṣaṇa to (teṣām)

• bhīma-karmaṇām: of (those) of dreadful deeds
• bhīma-karmaṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīma (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग); viśeṣaṇa to (rākṣasāṇām) understood; samāsa: bhīmaṃ karma yeṣām = 'of those of terrible deeds'

• varjayitvā: excluding/excepting
• varjayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛj/varj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ktvā/क्त्वा) = 'having excluded/excepting'

• jarā-vṛddhān: the aged
• jarā-vṛddhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jarā (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग); samāsa: jarayā vṛddhān = 'aged by old age'

• bālān: children
• bālān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितīyā), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samucchaya (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• rajanīcarān: night-rangers (rākṣasas)
• rajanīcarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanīcara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितīyā), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग)

Context

O Sita, leaving aside children and the aged, I am the lord of crores of night-rangers in addition to ten crore demons and twentytwo crore terrorists.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Rākṣasas (night-rangers)

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects intimidation as a basis for relationship or consent; boasting of power to pressure another is a hallmark of Adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa begins his pitch to Sītā by advertising the scale of his forces and his supremacy among them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s moral courage is the implied counterpoint: righteousness does not yield to threats or displays of dominance.