Shloka 19

आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

सा सुशीला वपुश्श्लाघ्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि।तवानुरूपा भार्या स्यात्त्वं च तस्यास्तथा पतिः।।।।

Transliteration

sā suśīlā vapuśślāghyā rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi |

tavānurūpā bhāryā syāt tvaṁ ca tasyās tathā patiḥ ||

Translation

นางมีศีลาจารวัตรงาม รูปกายควรสรรเสริญ และในความงามไร้ผู้เสมอบนแผ่นดิน; นางย่อมเป็นชายาที่เหมาะแก่ท่าน และท่านก็เป็นสวามีที่เหมาะแก่นางเช่นกัน

Word by Word

• सा: she (that woman)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (singular); sarvanāma (pronoun)

• सु-शीला: well-conducted, of good character
• सु-शीला: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa (adjective) qualifying सा

• वपुः-श्लाघ्या: praiseworthy in beauty/form
• वपुः-श्लाघ्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vapus + ślāghya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (genitive determinative): ‘vapuṣaḥ ślāghyā’

• रूपेण: by appearance
• रूपेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; karaṇa (instrument)

• अ-प्रतिमा: incomparable
• अ-प्रतिमा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; nañ-taddhita/negation prefix a-; viśeṣaṇa of सा

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuvi/bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; adhikaraṇa (location)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• अनु-रूपा: suitable, befitting
• अनु-रूपा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of भार्या

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa / Predicative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate nominative with syāt

• स्यात्: would be / may be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: samuccaya-nipāta (conjunctive particle)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; sarvanāma

• तथा: likewise, similarly
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverb)

• पतिः: husband
• पतिः: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa / Predicative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate nominative (to be supplied with syāt)

Context

She is a woman of good conduct, of praiseworthy beauty. She is matchless in her beauty on earth. She will be a suitable wife for you and you, a suitable husband for her.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Earth (bhū)

FAQs

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

The verse shows how ‘fitness’ can be misused rhetorically to justify adharma; in Ramayana ethics, suitability is governed by lawful relationship and consent—not by power or desire.

What is the narrative situation?

Śūrpaṇakhā continues persuading Rāvaṇa by praising Sītā’s character and beauty and presenting the match as appropriate.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s suśīlatā (good conduct) is explicitly praised, underscoring her dharmic character even though the speaker’s intent is manipulative.