Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 13, Shloka 15

महापार्श्वस्य परामर्शः

Mahāpārśva’s Counsel and Rāvaṇa’s Confession of Brahmā’s Curse

Devanagari script

इत्यहंतस्यशापस्यभीतःप्रसभमेवताम् ।नारोहयेबलात्सीतांवैदेहींशयनेशुभे ।।।।

Transliteration

ity ahaṃ tasya śāpasya bhītaḥ prasabham eva tām |

nārohaye balāt sītāṃ vaidehīṃ śayane śubhe ||

Translation

因此我畏惧那诅咒，绝未以暴力强迫毗提诃之女悉多登上我那华美吉祥的床榻。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थ-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• शापस्य: of the curse
• शापस्य: हेतु (हेतु/Reason; genitive of cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• भीतः: frightened
• भीतः: विशेषण (कर्तृविशेषण of अहम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular masculine

• प्रसभम्: forcibly
• प्रसभम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रसभम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb): forcibly, violently

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• आरोहये: I place/make (her) mount
• आरोहये: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense (णिच् implied): ‘make ascend/place’

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; Ablative singular; adverbial: by force

• सीताम्: Sītā
• सीताम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object; apposition to ताम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• वैदेहीम्: Vaidehī
• वैदेहीम्: कर्म (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; epithet of Sītā

• शयने: on the bed
• शयने: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• शुभे: auspicious/beautiful
• शुभे: विशेषण (अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular; qualifies śayane

Context

"My speed is like that of the ocean, my movement is like that of the wind and Dasaratha's son does not know this. Therefore, he is coming to attack me."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Vaidehī
• Videha

FAQs

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

A restraint born of fear is not true dharma: the verse shows that external punishment can curb wrongdoing, but inner righteousness requires moral transformation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa explains that he refrained from physically forcing Sītā due to Brahmā’s curse, not due to respect for dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s inviolability is implicitly emphasized; on Rāvaṇa’s side, only constrained restraint (not genuine virtue) is shown.