Shloka 13

सीताहरणम्

Ravana reveals his true form and abducts Sita

Devanagari script

मां भजस्व चिराय त्वमहं श्लाघ्यः प्रियस्तव।।3.49.12।।नैव चाहं क्वचिद्भद्रे करिष्ये तव विप्रियम्।त्यज्यतां मानुषे भावो मयि भावः प्रणीयताम्।।3.49.13।।

Transliteration

māṃ bhajasva cirāya tvam ahaṃ ślāghyaḥ priyas tava | naiva cāhaṃ kvacid bhadre kariṣye tava vipriyam | tyajyatāṃ mānuṣe bhāvo mayi bhāvaḥ praṇīyatām ||

Translation

मां भजस्व चिराय त्वम्; अहं श्लाघ्यः प्रियस्तव। नैव चाहं क्वचिद्भद्रे करिष्ये तव विप्रियम्। त्यज्यतां मानुषे भावो मयि भावः प्रणीयताम्।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• क्वचित्: ever/at any time
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: at any place/time)

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• करिष्ये: I will do/cause
• करिष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• तव: your/of you
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्रियम्: unpleasant thing/offence
• विप्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्यज्यताम्: let (it) be abandoned
• त्यज्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive voice)

• मानुषे: in a human (man)
• मानुषे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (Masc/Neut) सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); ‘मानुषे (भावे)’ = in a human (man)

• भावः: attachment/affection
• भावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भावः: attachment/affection
• भावः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रणीयताम्: let (it) be led/turned (towards me)
• प्रणीयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive voice)

Context

I am your praiseworthy husband. I will not cause any unpleasantness to you at any time. Abandon on your inclination towards, a (mere) mortal. Divert your love to me.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Rāma (implied by 'mānuṣe bhāvaḥ'—attachment to a human)

FAQs

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

Dharma requires honoring consent, marriage, and truthfulness in intention. Rāvaṇa’s promises are ethically hollow because they aim to legitimize wrongful desire and undermine Sītā’s lawful bond.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa escalates from praise to direct solicitation, promising safety and pleasure while urging Sītā to renounce Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s satya (truthfulness) and niṣṭhā (steadfast commitment) are the virtues challenged by persuasion and threat.