Shloka 19

सीताविलापः रावणनिन्दा च

Sita’s Lament and Condemnation of Ravana

Devanagari script

नदीं वैतरणीं घोरां रुधिरौघनिवाहिनीम्।।3.53.19।।असिपत्रवनं चैव भीमं पश्यसि रावण।

Transliteration

nadīṃ vaitaraṇīṃ ghorāṃ rudhiraugha-nivāhinīm ||3.53.19||

asipatra-vanaṃ caiva bhīmaṃ paśyasi rāvaṇa |

Translation

โอ้ราวณะ เจ้ากำลังเห็นแม่น้ำไวตระณีอันน่าสยดสยอง ไหลเชี่ยวด้วยกระแสโลหิต และยังเห็นพงไพรอันน่ากลัวที่ใบไม้เป็นดั่งคมดาบ

Word by Word

• नदीम्: river
• नदीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वैतरणीम्: Vaitarani
• वैतरणीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; proper name

• घोराम्: dreadful
• घोराम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies नदीम्/वैतरणीम्

• रुधिरौघनिवाहिनीम्: carrying torrents of blood
• रुधिरौघनिवाहिनीम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिर + ओघ + निवाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (बहुपद-निर्माण; "रुधिरस्य ओघः" + "निवाहिनी" = carrying torrents of blood), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies नदीम्

• असिपत्रवनम्: forest of sword-leaves
• असिपत्रवनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि + पत्र + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-प्राय: "असि-पत्राणि यस्य" as descriptive of वन), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• भीमम्: terrifying
• भीमम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies असिपत्रवनम्

• पश्यसि: you see
• पश्यसि: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• रावण: O Ravana
• रावण: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

While being carried away, Sita wept piteously and her eyes went red with tears of anger and grief. Looking at the frightening eyes of the king of the demons, she said these words :

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Wrongdoing brings its own vision of consequence: adharma leads toward suffering symbolized by infernal imagery, urging a return to righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā intensifies her warning, invoking traditional images of the afterlife’s horrors to show Rāvaṇa’s impending downfall.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truth-speaking (satya-vacana) with moral urgency: Sītā speaks not to flatter power but to state consequences plainly.