Shloka 47

सीताविलापः

Sita’s Lament and Prophecy of Lanka’s Ruin

Devanagari script

अथवा राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना।।।।छद्मना घातितौ शूरौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।

Transliteration

athavā rākṣasendreṇa rāvaṇena durātmanā | chadmanā ghātitau śūrau bhrātarau rāmalakṣmaṇau ||

Translation

अथवा दुरात्मना राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन छद्मना शूरौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ घातितौ।

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• राक्षस-इन्द्रेण: by the lord of demons
• राक्षस-इन्द्रेण: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करणम्/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'राक्षसानाम् इन्द्रः'; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• रावणेन: by Ravana
• रावणेन: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करणम्/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; राक्षसेन्द्रेण इति समानाधिकरण

• दुरात्मना: by the wicked one
• दुरात्मना: Kartr-karana (कर्ता-करणम्/agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: 'दुष्ट आत्मा यस्य'; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; रावणेन इति विशेषणम्

• छद्मना: by deception
• छद्मना: Karana (करणम्/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chadman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• घातितौ: slain
• घातितौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle): 'caused to be slain'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• शूरौ: two heroes
• शूरौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; भ्रातरौ इति विशेषणम्

• भ्रातरौ: two brothers
• भ्रातरौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• राम-लक्ष्मणौ: Rama and Lakshmana
• राम-लक्ष्मणौ: Karta (कर्ता/subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: 'रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च'; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

Context

"Or else, has this wicked demon king slain both the brothers Rama and Lakshmana by some deceptive means?

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It contrasts dharma with adharma: deceit (chadman) is a mark of unrighteous conduct, feared as the weapon of the wicked.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā’s anxiety escalates into a terrible possibility: that Rāvaṇa may have killed Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa through trickery.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The brothers’ heroism is affirmed, while Rāvaṇa is characterized by moral corruption and deception.