Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 29
सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः
Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana
Devanagari script
जनस्थाने हतस्थाने निहते रक्षसां बले।।।।अशक्तेन त्वया रक्षः कृतमेतदसाधु वै।
Transliteration
janasthāne hata-sthāne nihate rakṣasāṃ bale | aśaktena tvayā rakṣaḥ kṛtam etad asādhu vai ||
Translation
在阇那斯坦那——那成了死地之处——罗刹军被诛尽之时，你无力护卫，却做出这等卑劣之行，罗刹啊。
Word by Word
जनस्थानेin Janasthana
जनस्थाने:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootजनस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; स्थान-तत्पुरुषः (जनानां स्थानम् = Janasthana, place-name)
हतस्थानेin the place of slaughter
हतस्थाने:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootहत + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (हतं स्थानम् = place of slaughter)
निहतेwhen (it was) slain
निहते:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनि + √हन् (धातु)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)
रक्षसाम्of the demons
रक्षसाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
TypeNoun
Rootरक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
बलेin the army/force
बले:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootबल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
अशक्तेनby (one) powerless
अशक्तेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ + शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
त्वयाby you
त्वया:
Kartr (कर्ता/agent-instrumental)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
रक्षःO demon
रक्षः:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootरक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used predicatively (‘has been done’)
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
असाधुimproper, not good
असाधु:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअसाधु (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective (‘not proper’)
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic particle)
Context
"When the army of demons as killed you had no capacity to protect and was destroyed at Janasthana, the place of death. You acted in this dishonest way.
Characters & Entities
J
Jana-sthānaR
RākṣasasR
Rāvaṇa (addressed as rākṣaḥ)FAQs
Adharma is marked not only by harm but by dishonorable means—exploiting vulnerability rather than facing righteous challenge.
Sītā condemns Rāvaṇa’s conduct as cowardly and unrighteous in light of earlier defeats and his failure to act honorably.
Moral clarity: Sītā distinguishes true strength from predatory opportunism.