Shloka 18

आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description

Devanagari script

यस्य सीता भवेद्भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेत्।अतिजीवेत्स सर्वेषु लोकेष्वपि पुरन्दरात्।।।।

Transliteration

yasya sītā bhaved bhāryā yaṁ ca hṛṣṭā pariṣvajet |

atijīvetsa sarveṣu lokeṣv api purandarāt ||

Translation

ผู้ใดมีสีตาเป็นชายา และนางโอบกอดด้วยความยินดี—ผู้นั้นย่อมเห็นตนเป็นผู้มีบุญยิ่งกว่าแม้ปุรันทร (พระอินทร์) และปรารถนาจะมีชีวิตยืนยาวเหนือผู้ใดในทุกโลก

Word by Word

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

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

• bhavet: would be/may become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhāryā: wife
• bhāryā: Pradhāna (प्रधान/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (predicate nominative)

• yam: whom
• yam: Karma (कर्म/Object of embracing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• hṛṣṭā: delighted
• hṛṣṭā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √hṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: PPP/क्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; sītā-विशेषणम्

• pariṣvajet: may embrace
• pariṣvajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√svaj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ati-jīvet: may live exceedingly long
• ati-jīvet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ati-√jīv (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (correlative pronoun)

• sarveṣu: in all
• sarveṣu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; lokeṣu-विशेषणम्

• lokeṣu: in the worlds
• lokeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• api: even
• api: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also’)

• purandarāt: than Purandara (Indra)
• purandarāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; तुलना-अपादानम् (standard of comparison)

Context

Whosoever gets Sita as his wife, whoever she embraces happily will wish to live longer than Indra, the breaker of fortresses in this world.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Indra (Purandara)
• Worlds (lokāḥ)

FAQs

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

It warns that exalting sensual gain as the highest ‘fortune’ distorts dharma; true wellbeing in the Ramayana is tied to righteousness, restraint, and lawful bonds—not coveting another’s spouse.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā attempts to entice Rāvaṇa by portraying Sītā as a prize whose possession would surpass even Indra’s glory.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the implied virtue is self-control (dama) and respect for marital dharma—virtues that Rāvaṇa is being pushed to abandon.