Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 13

सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः

Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana

Devanagari script

स्वकृतैर्हन्यमानस्य रावणादीर्घदर्शिनः।।।।अभिनन्दन्ति भूतानि विनाशे पापकर्मणः।

Transliteration

svakṛtair hanyamānasya rāvaṇādīrghadarśinaḥ |

abhinandanti bhūtāni vināśe pāpakarmaṇaḥ ||5.21.13||

Translation

罗波那啊，你目光短浅：当罪人被自己所作之业的果报击倒时，众生都为他的覆灭而欢喜。

Word by Word

• sva-kṛtaiḥ: by (your) own deeds
• sva-kṛtaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त, √kṛ + क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—"स्वैः कृतैः" (by one’s own deeds)

• hanyamānasya: of (you) being killed
• hanyamānasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √han (धातु) + ya (यक्, कर्मणि)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्/यमान), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); "of (him) being slain"

• rāvaṇa: O Ravana
• rāvaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• a-dīrgha-darśinaḥ: O short-sighted one
• a-dīrgha-darśinaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + darśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); नञ्-तत्पुरुषः—"अदीर्घदर्शिन्" (short-sighted)

• abhinandanti: rejoice/applaud
• abhinandanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nand (धातु) + abhi (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhūtāni: creatures/beings
• bhūtāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vināśe: at the destruction
• vināśe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāpa-karmaṇaḥ: of the sinner/of the evil-doer
• pāpa-karmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः—"पापं कर्म यस्य" (sinful-deed doer)

Context

"O Ravana! living beings will welcome and enjoy the destruction of a short-sighted sinner killed by his own vile act.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāvaṇa
• bhūtāni (living beings)

FAQs

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

Karmic moral order: wrongdoing matures into self-caused destruction; dharma asserts that evil ultimately collapses under its own weight.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā delivers a final, forceful warning to Rāvaṇa about the inevitable outcome of his sinful actions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s unwavering commitment to truth (satya) and justice, expressed as fearless moral admonition.