Valmiki Ramayana 5.21.10: Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 10

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

वचो मिथ्याप्रणीतात्मा पथ्यमुक्तं विचक्षणैः।।।।राक्षसानामभावाय त्वं वा न प्रतिपद्यसे।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 5.21.10

Transliteration

vaco mithyāpraṇītātmā pathyam uktaṃ vicakṣaṇaiḥ |

rākṣasānām abhāvāya tvaṃ vā na pratipadyase ||5.21.10||

Translation

Tu, cuja mente é conduzida por caminhos falsos e injustos, não acolhes o conselho salutar dito pelos prudentes; assim te tornas a causa da ruína dos rākṣasas.

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Word by Word

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mithyā-praṇīta-ātmā: one whose mind is led astray/unrighteously guided
• mithyā-praṇīta-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय) + praṇīta (कृदन्त, √nī प्र + क्त) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहिः—"यस्य आत्मा मिथ्या-प्रणीतः"

• pathyam: wholesome counsel
• pathyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uktam: spoken/said
• uktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with pathyam

• vicakṣaṇaiḥ: by the discerning (ones)
• vicakṣaṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rākṣasānām: of the demons
• rākṣasānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• abhāvāya: for destruction/non-existence
• abhāvāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); purpose (प्रयोजनार्थे चतुर्थी)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or/indeed
• vā: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), disjunctive/emphatic "or/indeed"

• na: not
• na: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• pratipadyase: you accept/agree
• pratipadyase: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pad (धातु) + prati (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Middle voice (आत्मनेपद), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

"You are indulging in unrighteous act and not listening to the advice of wise men who have a sense of discrimination. You are the cause of the destruction of demons.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma requires listening to wise, truthful counsel; rejecting it and choosing falsehood leads not only to personal fall but to collective ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā rebukes Rāvaṇa, warning that his refusal to heed good advice will destroy his people.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s moral clarity and fearlessness in speaking truth (satya) to power.