Shloka 23

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

अधोमुखंस्थितंरामंततःकृत्वाप्रदक्षिणम् ।उपावर्ततवैदेहीदीप्यमानंहुताशनम् ।।।।

Transliteration

adhomukhaṃ sthitaṃ rāmaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇam | upāvartata vaidehī dīpyamānaṃ hutāśanam || 6.119.23 ||

Translation

แล้วพระนางไวเทหี ครั้นเวียนประทักษิณพระรามผู้ยืนก้มพระพักตร์แล้ว ก็หันไปสู่หุตาศนะ คือไฟอันลุกโพลง

Word by Word

• adho-mukham: downcast-faced
• adho-mukham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhas (अव्यय) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular, Masculine; avyayībhāva: adhaḥ mukhaṃ yasya (down-faced)

• sthitam: standing
• sthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Accusative, Singular, Masculine; qualifies rāmam

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular, Masculine

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (thereafter)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• pradakṣiṇam: circumambulation (clockwise)
• pradakṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular, Neuter; object of kṛtvā (to make circumambulation)

• upāvartata: approached/turned towards
• upāvartata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ā-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular

• vaidehī: Vaidehi (Sita)
• vaidehī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidehī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative, Singular, Feminine

• dīpyamānam: blazing
• dīpyamānam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dīp (धातु)
• Form: Present middle participle (शानच्), Accusative, Singular, Masculine; qualifies hutāśanam

• hutāśanam: fire
• hutāśanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: huta (प्रातिपदिक) + aśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular, Masculine; tatpuruṣa: hutaṃ aśnāti iti (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) = fire

Context

Thereafter, Vaidehi, walking clockwise near Rama went round him in accordance with tradition and approached the pyre.

Characters & Entities

• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• Rāma
• Hutāśana (Agni/fire)

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed through maryādā (proper conduct): even amid crisis, Sītā follows respectful ritual gestures (pradakṣiṇā) before entering the truth-test.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā performs a formal circumambulation of Rāma and then moves toward the fire, marking the immediate commencement of the ordeal.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s composure and adherence to propriety under extreme pressure.