Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 20

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

अङ्गरागेण दिव्येन लिप्ताङ्गी जनकात्मजे।शोभयिष्यसि भर्तारं यथा श्रीर्विष्णुमव्ययम्।।2.118.20।।

Transliteration

aṅgarāgeṇa divyena liptāṅgī janakātmaje |

śobhayīṣyasi bhartāraṃ yathā śrīr viṣṇum avyayam ||2.118.20||

Translation

Hỡi ái nữ của Janaka, khi thân nàng được xức bằng hương liệu thần diệu này, nàng sẽ làm tăng vẻ huy hoàng của phu quân—như Śrī (Lakṣmī) trang nghiêm Viṣṇu bất hoại.

Word by Word

• aṅgarāgeṇa: with body-unguent
• aṅgarāgeṇa: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgarāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• divyena: divine
• divyena: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of aṅgarāgeṇa)

• liptāṅgī: you with anointed limbs
• liptāṅgī: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lipta (√lip धातु + kta) + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘whose limbs are anointed’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (addressing Sītā)

• janakātmaje: O daughter of Janaka
• janakātmaje: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘Janaka’s daughter’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• śobhayīṣyasi: you will adorn
• śobhayīṣyasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śubh (धातु) caus. √śobh (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• bhartāram: (your) husband
• bhartāram: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (as)

• śrīḥ: Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrīḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुषभाव, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of viṣṇum)

Context

It is no wonder that a noble lady like you should instruct me this way. It is known to me that a husband is a guru to his wife.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Janaka
• Anasūyā
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

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

The ideal of mutual auspiciousness in marriage: the wife’s presence and virtue are portrayed as enhancing the husband’s honor and radiance.

What is the narrative situation?

Anasūyā explains the spiritual and symbolic effect of the divine unguent she has given Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s auspicious dignity as an ideal consort, framed through the Lakṣmī–Viṣṇu analogy.