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Shloka 32

रावणस्य तर्जनं सीताया धर्मोक्तिः

Ravana’s Threats and Sita’s Dharma-Centered Reply

इत्युक्त्वा मैथिलीं राजा रावणः शत्रुरावणः।सन्दिदेश ततः सर्वा राक्षसीर्घोरदर्शनाः।।।।

ity uktvā maithilīṃ rājā rāvaṇaḥ śatrurāvaṇaḥ |

sandidēśa tataḥ sarvā rākṣasīr ghora-darśanāḥ ||

یوں میتھلی سے کہہ کر، راجا راون—جو اپنے دشمنوں کے لیے ہیبت ناک تھا—پھر اس نے خوفناک صورت والی تمام راکشسیوں کو حکم دیا۔

itithus
iti:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormQuotative particle (निपात), speech-closer
uktvāhaving spoken
uktvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
TypeIndeclinable
Root√vac (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
FormAbsolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), avyaya; prior action ‘having said’
maithilīmMaithilī (Sītā)
maithilīm:
Karma (कर्म/Object; addressee)
TypeNoun
Rootmaithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
rājāthe king
rājā:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to rāvaṇaḥ
rāvaṇaḥRāvaṇa
rāvaṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootrāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
śatru-rāvaṇaḥenemy-tormenting
śatru-rāvaṇaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootśatrurāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; śatru + rāvaṇa)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: śatrūṇāṃ rāvaṇaḥ = one who makes enemies cry/torments enemies
sandideśacommanded
sandideśa:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-√diś (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada; ‘commanded/ordered’
tataḥthen
tataḥ:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Sequence adjunct)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottataḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence
sarvāḥall
sarvāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with rākṣasīḥ
rākṣasīḥshe-demons (rākṣasīs)
rākṣasīḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootrākṣasī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
ghora-darśanāḥof dreadful appearance
ghora-darśanāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootghoradarśana (प्रातिपदिक; ghora + darśana)
FormFeminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi: whose appearance (darśana) is terrible (ghora)

King Ravana, a tormentor of enemies, having thus threatened Mythili commanded the she-demons women of fiecrceful appearance as follows:

R
Rāvaṇa
S
Sītā (Maithilī)
R
Rākṣasīs (demonesses)

FAQs

Authority without dharma becomes oppression. The verse frames how adharma institutionalizes itself through commands and enforcers.

After threatening Sītā, Rāvaṇa turns to his attendants—the rākṣasīs—ordering them to pressure her into submission.

Implied is steadfastness under coercion: Sītā’s moral strength stands against organized intimidation.