Shloka 15

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

शक्या लोभयितुं नाहमैश्वर्येण धनेन वा।।।।अनन्या राघवेणाहं भास्करेण प्रभा यथा।

Transliteration

śakyā lobhayituṃ nāham aiśvaryeṇa dhanena vā | ananyā rāghaveṇāhaṃ bhāskareṇa prabhā yathā ||

Translation

அதிகாரத்தாலும் செல்வத்தாலும் என்னை ஆசைப்படுத்த முடியாது. நான் ராகவனுக்கே உரியவள்—சூரியனுக்கு ஒளி பிரியாததுபோல்।

Word by Word

• śakyā: possible/able (to be)
• śakyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicative with aham (Sītā)

• lobhayitum: to be tempted/to be lured
• lobhayitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/अर्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lubh (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुनन्त), "to cause to desire/tempt"

• na: not
• na: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• aiśvaryeṇa: by power/sovereignty
• aiśvaryeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhanena: by wealth
• dhanena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), "or/even"

• ananyā: inseparable
• ananyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); "not other" = inseparable

• rāghaveṇa: with Raghava (Rama)
• rāghaveṇa: Saha (सह/साकं-अर्थे तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhāskareṇa: with the sun
• bhāskareṇa: Saha (सह/साकं-अर्थे तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prabhā: radiance/light
• prabhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमा-निपात)

Context

"I cannot be lured by your power or wealth. I am inseparable from Raghava like light from the Sun.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Bhāskara (Sun)

FAQs

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

True dharma is not purchasable: integrity and marital fidelity (pativratā-dharma) are not swayed by wealth or power.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa attempts to win Sītā through threats and allurements; she refuses, declaring exclusive devotion to Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness (niścaya) and incorruptibility—Sītā’s unwavering loyalty to dharma despite coercion.