Valmiki Ramayana 5.1.154 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 1, Shloka 154

समुद्रलङ्घनारम्भः

Commencement of the Ocean-Crossing

Devanagari script

अन्यकार्यविषक्तस्य बद्धवैरस्य राक्षसैः।तस्य सीता हृता भार्या रावणेन यशस्विनी।।।।

Transliteration

anyakāryaviṣaktasya baddhavairasya rākṣasaiḥ | tasya sītā hṛtā bhāryā rāvaṇena yaśasvinī ||

Translation

अन्यकार्यविषक्तस्य राक्षसैः बद्धवैरस्य तस्य यशस्विनी भार्या सीता रावणेन हृता।

Word by Word

• अन्यकार्यविषक्तस्य: of him who was engaged in other work
• अन्यकार्यविषक्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya-kārya-viṣakta (प्रातिपदिक: अन्य + कार्य + विषक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): अन्ये कार्ये विषक्तः—‘engaged in other work’

• बद्धवैरस्य: of (him) with firm enmity
• बद्धवैरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baddha-vaira (प्रातिपदिक: बद्ध + वैर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘fixed/firm enmity’

• राक्षसैः: by the rākṣasas
• राक्षसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (context: masculine)

• सीता: Sītā
• सीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हृता: was abducted
• हृता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘was taken away’

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (apposition) to सीता

• रावणेन: by Rāvaṇa
• रावणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• यशस्विनी: glorious / renowned
• यशस्विनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśasvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of सीता/भार्या)

Context

"While Rama was engaged otherwise, his glorious wife Sita was abducted by Ravana actuated by deep-rooted enmity of demons with him.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Rāma

FAQs

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

It contrasts dharma and adharma: the abduction of Sītā is a paradigmatic violation of righteousness, showing how unrighteous hostility targets the innocent.

What is the narrative situation?

Hanumān recounts the pivotal wrong: Sītā was seized by Rāvaṇa when Rāma was momentarily engaged elsewhere.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s dignity and moral radiance (yaśas), implied even in suffering; and the implied duty upon the righteous to respond to injustice.