Shloka 25

सीताया रावणनिन्दा — अशोकवनिकाप्रवेशः

Sita’s Rebuke of Ravana; Removal to the Ashoka Grove

Devanagari script

शृणु मैथिलि मद्वाक्यं मासान्द्वादश भामिनि।।3.56.24।।कालेनानेन नाभ्येषि यदि मां चारुहासिनि।ततस्त्वां प्रातराशार्थं सूदाश्छेत्स्यन्ति लेशशः।।3.56.25।।

Transliteration

śṛṇu maithili madvākyaṃ māsān dvādaśa bhāmini |

kālenānena nābhyēṣi yadi māṃ cāruhāsini |

tatas tvāṃ prātarāśārthaṃ sūdāś chetsyanti leśaśaḥ ||

Translation

Ouça minhas palavras, ó Maithili! Se dentro de doze meses você não me aceitar, ó bela, os cozinheiros a cortarão em pedaços para o meu desjejum.

Word by Word

ततःthen

त्वाम्you

प्रातराशार्थम्for breakfast

सूदाःcooks

छेत्स्यन्तिwill cut

लेशशःinto small pieces, bit by bit

Context

O comely princess from Mithila, O lady with a sweet smile listen to my words. If you do not accept my hand in the course of twelve months, the cooks will cut you off into small bits for the (my) breakfast.

Characters & Entities

Rāvaṇa

Sītā (Maithilī)

Mithilā

FAQs

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

The repetition intensifies the portrayal of adharma: obsession and intimidation are shown as moral degradation, reinforcing that dharma cannot be produced by threats.

What is the narrative situation?

A duplicated line in this recension reiterates Rāvaṇa’s coercive ultimatum to Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s unshaken fidelity is emphasized by the need for repeated intimidation to pressure her.