Shloka 34

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

प्रचुक्रुशुःस्त्रियःसर्वास्तांदृष्टवाहव्यवाहवे ।।।।पतन्तींसंस्कृतांमन्रन्स्सैर्वसोर्दारामिवाध्वरे ।

Transliteration

pracukruśuḥ striyaḥ sarvās tāṃ dṛṣṭvā havyavāhave |

patantīṃ saṃskṛtāṃ mantrair vasor dhārām ivādhvare ||

Translation

ครั้นเห็นนางร่วงลงสู่ไฟผู้แบกเครื่องบูชา สตรีทั้งปวงก็ร้องครวญคราง ราวกับเป็นสายเนยใสอันไหลมั่นคงในยัญพิธี ที่ได้รับการชำระด้วยมนตร์ศักดิ์สิทธิ์

Word by Word

• प्रचुक्रुशुः: cried out loudly
• प्रचुक्रुशुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural); परस्मैपद

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: कर्तृ (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) स्त्रियः इति विशेष्ये

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वकर्म/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• हव्यवाहवे: to the fire (Agni)
• हव्यवाहवे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्यवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), चतुर्थी (dative/4th), एकवचन; समासः—हव्यं वहति इति हव्यवाहः (Agni)

• पतन्तीम्: falling
• पतन्तीम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ताम् इति विशेष्ये

• संस्कृताम्: duly prepared/ritually arranged
• संस्कृताम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ताम् इति विशेष्ये

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• सा: she/that (as)
• सा: उपमान-निर्देश (upamāna marker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• वसोः: of Vasu
• वसोः: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive/6th), एकवचन

• धाराम्: stream/flow
• धाराम्: उपमेय (upameya/compared object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अध्वरे: in the sacrifice/ritual
• अध्वरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन

Context

All the Devas, Gandharvas and Danavas of the three worlds who witnessed her falling, extolled her as if goddess was falling from heaven into hell.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Women (striyaḥ)
• Agni (Havyavāhana)
• Mantras
• Adhvara (sacrifice)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes empathy: even when a trial is framed as righteous, the human community responds with compassion to suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

The assembled women react emotionally, crying out as Sītā falls into the fire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Communal compassion—others’ immediate sorrow underscores the gravity of Sītā’s ordeal and the value of her person.