Shloka 27

रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः

Ravana’s Threats and Sita’s Dharma-Centered Reply

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां स परिपूर्णाभ्यां भुजाभ्यां राक्षसेश्वरः।शुशुभेऽचलसङ्काशः शृङ्गाभ्यामिव मन्दरः।।।।

Transliteration

tābhyāṁ sa paripūrṇābhyāṁ bhujābhyāṁ rākṣaseśvaraḥ | śuśubhe ’calasaṅkāśaḥ śṛṅgābhyām iva mandaraḥ ||

Translation

С двумя могучими, полными силы руками владыка ракшасов сиял, словно гора — как Мандара с двумя вершинами.

Word by Word

• tābhyām: with those two
• tābhyām: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine/Neuter contextually, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); refers to the two arms (bhujābhyām)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• paripūrṇābhyām: with (two) full/robust
• paripūrṇābhyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paripūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); agrees with bhujābhyām

• bhujābhyām: with (two) arms
• bhujābhyām: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• rākṣasa-īśvaraḥ: lord of demons
• rākṣasa-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣaseśvara (प्रातिपदिक; rākṣasa + īśvara)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: rākṣasānām īśvaraḥ = lord of rākṣasas

• śuśubhe: shone
• śuśubhe: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śubh (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; intransitive ‘shone’

• acala-saṅkāśaḥ: mountain-like
• acala-saṅkāśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acala-saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक; acala + saṅkāśa)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: acalasya saṅkāśaḥ = resembling a mountain; predicate adjective of saḥ/rākṣaseśvaraḥ

• śṛṅgābhyām: with two peaks
• śṛṅgābhyām: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); used in simile

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), upamā-vācaka (उपमावाचक)

• mandaraḥ: Mandara (mountain)
• mandaraḥ: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); upamāna base (Mandara mountain)

Context

The lord of demons shone like mount Mandara, both his long two arms like two mountain peaks.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Physical might is not dharma; the epic repeatedly separates strength from righteousness to teach ethical evaluation beyond appearances.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator heightens Rāvaṇa’s formidable presence by likening his arms to mountain peaks.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): readers are guided to admire poetic grandeur yet judge by dharmic standards.