Shloka 17

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

अहमौपयिकी भार्या तस्यैव वसुधापतेः।।।।व्रतस्नातस्य विप्रस्य विद्येव विदितात्मनः।

Transliteration

aham aupayikī bhāryā tasyaiva vasudhāpateḥ | vratasnātasya viprasya vidyeva viditātmanaḥ ||

Translation

நான் அந்தப் பூமிபதியான ராமனுக்கே உரிய நியாயமான தர்மபத்தினி—விரதஸ்நாதனாய் ஆத்மஞானம் பெற்ற பிராமணனுக்குச் சொந்தமான புனித வித்யை போல.

Word by Word

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

• aupayikī: suitable/fit
• aupayikī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aupayika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with bhāryā

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

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदik/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• vasudhā-pateḥ: of the lord of the earth
• vasudhā-pateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—"वसुधायाः पतिः"

• vrata-snātasyа: of the vow-observant (ritually bathed)
• vrata-snātasyа: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + snāta (कृदन्त, √snā + क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—"व्रते स्नातः" (bathed after vow-observance)

• viprasya: of the brahmin
• viprasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vidyā: knowledge
• vidyā: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमा-निपात)

• vidita-ātmanaḥ: of the self-knowing one
• vidita-ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidita (कृदन्त, √vid + क्त) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—"विदितः आत्मा यस्य" (self-knowing)

Context

"I am alone the lawful wife of the lord of the earth like the knowledge of the Vedas which rightfully belongs to a wise brahmin who has realised the self after having had his ceremonial bath (as a token of celibacy) and having observed strict vows during the period of his study.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma upholds rightful belonging and propriety: Sītā asserts legitimacy (aupayikī) and rejects unlawful possession, paralleling how true knowledge belongs with disciplined virtue.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā counters Rāvaṇa’s coercion by stating her lawful status as Rāma’s wife, using a dharma-based analogy of knowledge and the worthy knower.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral legitimacy and self-respect—Sītā frames her identity through dharma, not fear.