Valmiki Ramayana 5.21.5 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 5

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही रावणं तं यशस्विनी।।।।राक्षसं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा भूयो वचनमब्रवीत्।

Transliteration

evam uktvā tu vaidehī rāvaṇaṃ taṃ yaśasvinī |

rākṣasaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā bhūyo vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

Tendo falado assim, a ilustre Vaidehī pôs aquele rākṣasa Rāvaṇa atrás de si e tornou a falar.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; 'having spoken'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-suchaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध (particle: but/indeed)

• वैदेही: Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेही: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तम्: that (him)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (referring to रावणम्)

• यशस्विनी: glorious
• यशस्विनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying वैदेही)

• राक्षसम्: the demon
• राक्षसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पृष्ठतः: behind
• पृष्ठतः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place) = 'behind/at the back'

• कृत्वा: having made/placed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः

• भूयः: again/further
• भूयः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again/further)

• वचनम्: words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Context

"My lord Rama accompanied by Saumitri will draw out your life by his arrows swiftly as Aditya sucks up shallow water at once by his radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Moral refusal includes social and symbolic acts: turning one’s back signifies non-consent and rejection of adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

After condemning Rāvaṇa’s proposal, Sītā physically distances herself and continues her admonition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dignity and moral clarity—Sītā refuses to even face wrongdoing.