Shloka 20

मारीचोपदेशः — Maricha’s Counsel to Ravana

On Rama’s Dharma and the Peril of Abduction

Devanagari script

न सा धर्षयितुं शक्या मैथिल्योजस्विनः प्रिया।दीप्तस्येव हुताशस्य शिखा सीता सुमध्यमा।।।।

Transliteration

na sā dharṣayituṃ śakyā maithily ojasvinaḥ priyā | dīptasya eva hutāśasya śikhā sītā sumadhyamā ||

Translation

นางสีตาผู้เอวอ้อน—ผู้เป็นที่รักของผู้ทรงโอชะ—มิอาจถูกล่วงละเมิดได้; นางดุจเปลวเพลิงที่พุ่งไหวของไฟอัคนีอันลุกโชติช่วง

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय—she

• धर्षयितुम्: to assault/touch
• धर्षयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्यय; अर्थः— to violate/assault/touch

• शक्या: possible
• शक्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (√शक्, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण—possible

• मैथिली: Maithili (Sita)
• मैथिली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण—Sita

• ओजस्विनः: of the mighty one
• ओजस्विनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओजस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध—of the mighty one

• प्रिया: beloved
• प्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण—beloved

• दीप्तस्य: of the blazing
• दीप्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (√दीप्, कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण—of the blazing

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• हुताशस्य: of fire
• हुताशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुताश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध—of fire

• शिखा: flame
• शिखा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमा-आधार (subject of simile)—flame

• सीता: Sita
• सीता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण—Sita

• सु-मध्यमा: slender-waisted
• सु-मध्यमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + मध्यमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सु (very) + मध्यमा (slender-waisted)

Context

Sita is the darling of mighty Rama. With her slender waist, she is like the leaping flames of blazing fire and it is not possible for you to touch her.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Rāma
• fire (metaphor)

FAQs

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

Respect for another’s dignity and marital integrity is dharma; violating it burns the violator—like touching fire.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca warns that Sītā is untouchable to Rāvaṇa, using the metaphor of a dangerous flame.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s inviolability rooted in chastity and dharma, and Rāma’s mighty protection (ojas).