Shloka 13

रावणस्य परिव्राजकवेषेण सीतासमीपगमनम्

Ravana Approaches Sita Disguised as a Mendicant

Devanagari script

स मन्मथशराविष्टो ब्रह्मघोषमुदीरयन्।।3.46.13।।अब्रवीत्प्रश्रितं वाक्यं रहिते राक्षसाधिपः।

Transliteration

sa manmathaśarāviṣṭo brahmaghoṣam udīrayan | abravīt praśritaṃ vākyaṃ rahite rākṣasādhipaḥ || 3.46.13 ||

Translation

เมื่อถูกศรแห่งกามเทพทิ่มแทง และเปล่งเสียงสวดก้องดุจพรหมมนต์แห่งพระเวท เจ้าแห่งรากษสก็กล่าวถ้อยคำอย่างนอบน้อมต่อนาง ณ ที่อันสงัดนั้น

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• मन्मथ-शर-आविष्टः: struck by Cupid's arrows
• मन्मथ-शर-आविष्टः: कर्तृविशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्मथ (प्रातिपदिक) + शर (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (कृदन्त; √विश् (धातु) उपसर्ग-आ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (instrumental sense): मन्मथस्य शरैः आविष्टः = 'pierced/possessed by Cupid's arrows'; आविष्ट = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• ब्रह्म-घोषम्: Vedic chant
• ब्रह्म-घोषम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ब्रह्मणः घोषः

• उदीरयन्: uttering
• उदीरयन्: कर्तृसमानाधिकरण क्रियाविशेषण (concomitant action of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √ईर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय; present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'uttering/chanting'

• अब्रवीत्: spoke
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• प्रश्रितम्: humble
• प्रश्रितम्: कर्मविशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रश्रित (कृदन्त; प्र + √श्रि/श्रय् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्यम्-विशेषण; 'humbly spoken/submissive'

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रहिते: in a secluded place
• रहिते: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (used substantively): 'in a solitary place'

• राक्षस-अधिपः: lord of the demons
• राक्षस-अधिपः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: राक्षसानाम् अधिपः

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Manmatha (Kāma)
• Veda (brahmaghoṣa)

FAQs

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

The verse critiques false religiosity: sacred speech used to further immoral desire is a violation of satya (truthfulness) and dharma (right conduct).

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa, in disguise, begins his approach by speaking politely and invoking Vedic-sounding recitation to appear trustworthy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, integrity: true virtue requires alignment of words, appearance, and intent—something Rāvaṇa lacks here.