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Shloka 18

सीताया रावणनिन्दा — अशोकवनिकाप्रवेशः

Sita’s Rebuke of Ravana; Removal to the Ashoka Grove

न शक्या यज्ञमध्यस्था वेदी सृग्भाण्डमण्डिता।द्विजातिमन्त्रपूता च चण्डालेनावमर्दितुम्।।।।

na śakyā yajñamadhyasthā vedī sṛgbhāṇḍamaṇḍitā | dvijātimantrapūtā ca caṇḍālenāvamarditum ||

เวที (แท่นบูชา) ที่ตั้งอยู่ท่ามกลางยัชญะ ประดับด้วยทัพพีและภาชนะ และชำระให้บริสุทธิ์ด้วยมนตร์ของทวิชะ ย่อมไม่อาจถูกทำให้มัวหมองโดยจัณฑาลได้

nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
śakyāpossible
śakyā:
Pratishedha-predicative (विधेय/Predicate)
TypeAdjective
Rootśakya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शक्-धातोः यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (potential adjective) ‘possible’
yajñamadhyasthāstanding in the midst of a sacrifice
yajñamadhyasthā:
Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘vedī’)
TypeAdjective
Rootyajña-madhya-stha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; tatpuruṣa: yajña (sacrifice) + madhya (middle) + stha (standing) = ‘situated in the midst of sacrifice’
vedīaltar
vedī:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootvedī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
sṛgbhāṇḍamaṇḍitāadorned with ladles and vessels
sṛgbhāṇḍamaṇḍitā:
Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘vedī’)
TypeAdjective
Rootsṛk-bhāṇḍa-maṇḍita (कृदन्त + प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; tatpuruṣa: sṛk (ladle) + bhāṇḍa (vessel) + maṇḍita (क्त from √maṇḍ ‘adorn’)
dvijātimantrapūtāpurified by brahmin mantras
dvijātimantrapūtā:
Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘vedī’)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvijāti-mantra-pūta (कृदन्त + प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; tatpuruṣa: dvijāti (twice-born/brāhmaṇas) + mantra (hymns) + pūta (क्त from √pū ‘purify’)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय
caṇḍālenaby a chandala
caṇḍālena:
Kartr (कर्ता in infinitive construction; Agent)
TypeNoun
Rootcaṇḍāla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
avamarditumto violate
avamarditum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive action)
TypeVerb
Rootava-mṛd (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; ‘to trample/violate’

The sacrificial altar adorned with ladles and vessels and sanctified by the sacred mantras recited by brahmins cannot be defiled by a chandala (man of lowest caste).

S
Sītā
R
Rāvaṇa
Y
yajña
V
vedī (altar)
D
dvijāti (twice-born)
M
mantra
C
caṇḍāla

FAQs

Dharma is presented as inviolable: what is consecrated by right order and sacred discipline cannot be truly defiled by the unrighteous.

Sītā uses a ritual analogy to assert that Rāvaṇa cannot spiritually ‘possess’ or purify his act by force.

Sītā’s inner purity and her ability to teach through dharmic imagery and analogy.