Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 20, Shloka 31

रावणस्य सीताप्रलोभनम्

Ravana’s Persuasion and Coercive Courtship of Sita

Devanagari script

अन्तःपुरनिवासिन्यः स्त्रियः सर्वगुणान्विताः।।5.20.31।।यावन्त्यो मम सर्वासामैश्वर्यम् कुरु जानकि।

Transliteration

antaḥpuranivāsinyaḥ striyaḥ sarvaguṇānvitāḥ || 5.20.31 || yāvantyo mama sarvāsām aiśvaryaṃ kuru jānaki |

Translation

اے جانکی! میرے اندرونِ محل میں بے شمار عورتیں رہتی ہیں جو ہر خوبی سے آراستہ ہیں؛ تم ان سب پر فرمانروائی اختیار کرو۔

Word by Word

• अन्तःपुरनिवासिन्यः: women residing in the inner palace
• अन्तःपुरनिवासिन्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर-निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘अन्तःपुरे निवसन्ति’

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• सर्वगुणान्विताः: endowed with all virtues
• सर्वगुणान्विताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-गुण-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘endowed with all qualities’

• यावन्त्यः: as many as
• यावन्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); correlatives ‘as many as’

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• सर्वासाम्: of all (of them)
• सर्वासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ऐश्वर्यम्: sovereignty/authority
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• कुरु: exercise/do
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• जानकि: O Janaki
• जानकि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā (Jānakī)
• antaḥpura (inner palace)

FAQs

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

Dharma teaches that power and status cannot sanctify wrongdoing; offering authority is used here as temptation to normalize an unrighteous relationship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa attempts to entice Sītā by promising royal status and supremacy over his harem.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s integrity: she does not exchange dharma for aiśvarya (worldly sovereignty).