Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 22, Shloka 31

रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः

Ravana’s Threats and Sita’s Dharma-Centered Reply

Devanagari script

अनयेनाभिसम्पन्नमर्थहीनमनुव्रते।नाशयाम्यहमद्य त्वां सूर्यः सन्ध्यामिवौजसा।।।।

Transliteration

anayenābhisampannam arthahīnam anuvrate |

nāśayāmy aham adya tvāṃ sūryaḥ sandhyām ivaujasā ||

Translation

హే అనువ్రతే! నీవు దుష్టసంకల్పంతో వ్యర్థమైన మార్గంలో నిలిచియున్నావు. నేడు నేను నిన్ను సూర్యుడు తన తేజస్సుతో సంధ్యాంధకారాన్ని తొలగించినట్లు నశింపజేస్తాను.

Word by Word

• anayena: by this wrong course
• anayena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘wrong conduct/policy’

• abhisampannam: endowed/possessed
• abhisampannam: Karma (कर्म/Object; predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-√pad (धातु) + kta (क्त) / abhisampanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्/क्त) used adjectivally, Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies tvām (understood as tvām ... abhisampannām; text has neuter as generalized predicate/insult)

• artha-hīnam: worthless/meaningless
• artha-hīnam: Karma (कर्म/Object; predicative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arthahīna (प्रातिपदिक; artha + hīna)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: arthaṃ hīnam = devoid of value/meaning

• anuvrate: O faithful lady
• anuvrate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anuvratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); address to Sītā ‘faithful one’

• nāśayāmi: I will destroy/dispell
• nāśayāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु) + ṇic (णिच् causative)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); causative (णिच्) = ‘cause to perish/destroy’

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

• adya: today/now
• adya: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of time

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sūryaḥ: the sun
• sūryaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); subject of implied simile clause

• sandhyām: twilight
• sandhyām: Karma (कर्म/Object in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), upamā-vācaka (उपमावाचक)

• ojasā: by (his) brilliance/power
• ojasā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); means ‘power, brilliance’

Context

"O Sita! you are following a vow of chastity and treading a meaningless, wrong path. I will destroy you as the Sun dispels the morning twilight with his lustre".

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Sūrya (Sun)
• Sandhyā (twilight)

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects coercion and threats, especially against the vulnerable. The verse shows adharma: power used to intimidate truth and fidelity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa, angered by Sītā’s refusal, escalates to explicit threats of harm, attempting to break her resolve.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s fidelity (pativratā-dharma) is acknowledged even by her oppressor; her unwavering commitment to Rāma stands as the implied virtue.