Shloka 23

रावणस्य परिव्राजकवेषेण सीतासमीपगमनम्

Ravana Approaches Sita Disguised as a Mendicant

Devanagari script

रूपमग्र्यं च लोकेषु सौकुमार्यं वयश्चते।इह वासश्च कान्तारे चित्तमुन्मादयन्ति मे।।।।

Transliteration

rūpam agryaṃ ca lokeṣu saukumāryaṃ vayaś ca te | iha vāsaś ca kāntāre cittam unmādayanti me ||

Translation

รูปโฉมของเจ้าเลิศที่สุดในโลกทั้งหลาย ทั้งความอ่อนละมุนและวัยเยาว์ของเจ้าก็ยิ่งนัก. และการที่เจ้าอาศัยอยู่ในป่าดงพงไพรนี้—สิ่งเหล่านี้ทำให้จิตของข้าปั่นป่วนเร่าร้อน.

Word by Word

• rūpam: beauty/form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative singular

• agryam: excellent/best
• agryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative singular; विशेषणम् (qualifying rūpam)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• lokeṣu: in the worlds/among people
• lokeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Locative plural

• saukumāryam: delicacy/tenderness
• saukumāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saukumārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative singular

• vayaḥ: youth/age
• vayaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Genitive singular

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• vāsaḥ: dwelling/staying
• vāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kāntāre: in the wilderness/forest
• kāntāre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāntāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Locative singular

• cittam: mind/heart
• cittam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative singular

• unmādayanti: madden/drive crazy
• unmādayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: unmād (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative sense 'to madden' (उन्मादयति)

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Genitive singular

Context

You are the most beautiful among women in the world. With all your tenderness and youth you are living in this forlorn forest. This maddens my heart.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā (implied addressee)

FAQs

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

It contrasts uncontrolled desire with dharma’s demand for inner governance; agitation of mind is not a justification for violating another’s rights or marriage.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa frames Sītā’s presence in the forest as the cause of his mental agitation, continuing his coercive courtship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-mastery is the key virtue by contrast; dharma expects one to restrain impulses rather than blame circumstances.