Shloka 15

सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः

Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha

Devanagari script

अपदेशेनजनकादुत्पततिर्वसुथातलात् ।ममवृत्तं च वृत्तज्ञबहुते न पुरस्कृतम् ।।6.119.15।।

Transliteration

apadeśena janakād utpattir vasudhā-talāt |

mama vṛttaṁ ca vṛtta-jña bahu te na puraskṛtam ||

Translation

我的出身——被传为自大地而生、与阇那迦相连——以及我的行止，哦，知晓正行者：你并未给予应有的分量，尽管这些缘由众多且众所周知。

Word by Word

• apadeśena: by (mere) mention/pretext
• apadeśena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apadeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)

• janakāt: from Janaka
• janakāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग)

• utpattiḥ: birth/origin
• utpattiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utpatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग)

• vasudhā-talāt: from the surface of the earth
• vasudhā-talāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); tatpuruṣa: vasudhāyāḥ talam (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vṛttam: conduct/character
• vṛttam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय/and)

• vṛttajña: O knower of conduct
• vṛttajña: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sambodhana (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); tatpuruṣa: vṛttaṃ jānāti iti (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• bahu: much
• bahu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/degree)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (द्वितीया-अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग), Neuter singular used as indeclinable-like; ‘much’

• te: by you/your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन), Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha (निषेध/negation particle)

• puraskṛtam: was not given regard/put forward
• puraskṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: puras√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative Singular (प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन); here predicate with vṛttam

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Janaka
• Earth (Vasudhā)

FAQs

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

Dharma as evaluation by character (vṛtta) and truth, not rumor: Sītā insists that her known conduct and sacred origin should weigh against suspicion.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā appeals to her established background—Janaka’s household and her famed birth narrative—and to her lifelong conduct as evidence of purity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Śīla (good character) and steadfast reputation: Sītā foregrounds ethical life as the true proof of virtue.