Shloka 19

सीताहरणम्

Ravana reveals his true form and abducts Sita

Devanagari script

स च मायामयो दिव्यः खरयुक्तः खरस्वनः।।3.49.19।।प्रत्यदृश्यत हेमाङ्गो रावणस्य महारथः।

Transliteration

sa ca māyāmayo divyaḥ kharayuktaḥ kharasvanaḥ | pratyadṛśyata hemāṅgo rāvaṇasya mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

Bấy giờ hiện ra đại chiến xa của Rāvaṇa: thân xe rực vàng, kỳ diệu như do huyễn lực tạo thành, kéo bởi lừa và vang dội tiếng hí rống chói tai.

Word by Word

• सः: that (chariot)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मायामयः: illusory
• मायामयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया-मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘मायया मयः’ (made of illusion)

• दिव्यः: divine
• दिव्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• खरयुक्तः: yoked with asses
• खरयुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खर-युक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative), भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त; √युज्), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘खरैः युक्तः’

• खरस्वनः: braying loudly
• खरस्वनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खर-स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘खरवत् स्वनः’ (braying-sounding)

• प्रत्यदृश्यत: appeared
• प्रत्यदृश्यत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• हेमाङ्गः: golden-limbed
• हेमाङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• रावणस्य: of Ravana
• रावणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महारथः: great chariot
• महारथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); अर्थतः ‘महान् रथः’

Context

There arrived the great golden chariot of Ravana, illusive and wonderful, harnessed with donkeys and braying like donkeys.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• mahāratha (Rāvaṇa’s chariot)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts outward splendor and inner unrighteousness: māyā (deceptive power) can mask adharma, warning that appearances are not reliable measures of virtue.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s extraordinary chariot manifests, enabling the abduction to proceed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) is implied as a virtue—recognizing that dazzling power may be ethically hollow.