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Sita Shlokas in Sanskrit With Meaning: Bio, WhatsApp Status and Valmiki's Verses

Sita is often remembered as the patient, suffering wife. Read Valmiki, and she is something else as well: a woman who tells Ravana he is a jackal chasing a lioness, that he could swallow her no more than a fly could swallow a diamond, and that she could burn him to ash if she chose. She tells Rama himself that her father married her to "a woman in the shape of a man" when he tries to leave her behind, and she answers his doubts at the fire with an oath. Here are the Sita shlokas people reach for most for an Instagram bio, a WhatsApp status or a tattoo — each one complete in Sanskrit, never cut in half, with how to read it and its meaning in Hindi and English.

Every shloka comes with its real source and who she is speaking to. Some well-known "Sita" moments — the Lakshman Rekha among them — aren't in Valmiki at all; we've marked those near the end.

Sita Sanskrit shlokas with meaning

The fiercest first. Every verse below is from the critical edition of the Valmiki Ramayana (Oriental Institute, Baroda), as given on GRETIL, the Göttingen e-text library; its verse numbers can differ from popular printed editions. Use the whole card, or the line that speaks to you.

Sita to Ravana

असंदेशात्तु रामस्य तपसश्चानुपालनात् ।
न त्वां कुर्मि दशग्रीव भस्म भस्मार्हतेजसा ॥
asaṃdeśāt tu rāmasya tapasaś cānupālanāt
na tvāṃ kurmi daśagrīva bhasma bhasmārhatejasā
“It is only because Rama has given no such order, and to keep my tapas whole, that I do not burn you to ashes with my fire, Ten-headed one — though ashes are what you deserve.”
हे दशग्रीव, केवल इसलिए कि राम की ऐसी आज्ञा नहीं है, और अपने तप की रक्षा के लिए, मैं अपने तेज से तुम्हें भस्म नहीं कर रही — यद्यपि तुम भस्म होने योग्य ही हो।
Valmiki Ramayana · Sundara Kanda 5.20.20 · Sita to Ravana, in the Ashoka grove
तस्मिन्सहस्राक्षसमप्रभावे
रामे स्थिते कार्मुकबाणपाणौ ।
हृतापि तेऽहं न जरां गमिष्ये
वज्रं यथा मक्षिकयावगीर्णम् ॥
tasmin sahasrākṣasamaprabhāve
rāme sthite kārmukabāṇapāṇau
hṛtāpi te 'haṃ na jarāṃ gamiṣye
vajraṃ yathā makṣikayāvagīrṇam
“While Rama stands, mighty as thousand-eyed Indra, bow and arrows in his hands, you may carry me off — but you will never digest me, any more than a fly could digest the diamond it swallowed.”
जब तक इन्द्र के समान पराक्रमी राम धनुष-बाण हाथ में लिए खड़े हैं, तुम मुझे हर कर ले भी जाओ, तो भी मुझे पचा नहीं पाओगे — जैसे मक्खी हीरा निगल ले तो उसे पचा नहीं सकती।
Valmiki Ramayana · Aranya Kanda 3.45.43 · Sita to Ravana, after he drops his disguise
त्वं पुनर्जम्बुकः सिंहीं मामिहेच्छसि दुर्लभाम् ।
नाहं शक्या त्वया स्प्रष्टुमादित्यस्य प्रभा यथा ॥
tvaṃ punar jambukaḥ siṃhīṃ mām ihecchasi durlabhām
nāhaṃ śakyā tvayā spraṣṭum ādityasya prabhā yathā
“And you — a jackal — want me, a lioness you can never have. You can no more touch me than you can touch the light of the sun.”
और तुम — एक सियार — मुझ सिंहनी को चाहते हो, जो तुम्हें कभी नहीं मिल सकती। जैसे सूर्य की प्रभा को कोई छू नहीं सकता, वैसे ही तुम मुझे छू भी नहीं सकते।
Valmiki Ramayana · Aranya Kanda 3.45.32 · Sita to Ravana
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Our Ram Sita 'Love Meets Victory' poster.
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यदन्तरं सिंहशृगालयोर्वने
यदन्तरं स्यन्दनिकासमुद्रयोः ।
सुराग्र्यसौवीरकयोर्यदन्तरं
तदन्तरं दाशरथेस्तवैव च ॥
yad antaraṃ siṃhaśṛgālayor vane
yad antaraṃ syandanikāsamudrayoḥ
surāgryasauvīrakayor yad antaraṃ
tad antaraṃ dāśarathes tavaiva ca
“The difference between a lion and a jackal in the forest, between a trickling stream and the ocean, between the finest wine and sour gruel — that is the difference between Dasharatha's son and you.”
वन में सिंह और सियार में जो अंतर है, छोटी-सी नाली और समुद्र में जो अंतर है, उत्तम मदिरा और खट्टी काँजी में जो अंतर है — वही अंतर दशरथनन्दन राम और तुममें है।
Valmiki Ramayana · Aranya Kanda 3.45.40 · Sita to Ravana
क्षिप्रं तव स नाथो मे रामः सौमित्रिणा सह ।
तोयमल्पमिवादित्यः प्राणानादास्यते शरैः ॥
kṣipraṃ tava sa nātho me rāmaḥ saumitriṇā saha
toyam alpam ivādityaḥ prāṇān ādāsyate śaraiḥ
“Soon my lord Rama, with Lakshmana, will take your life with his arrows — the way the sun takes up a little water.”
शीघ्र ही मेरे स्वामी राम, लक्ष्मण के साथ, अपने बाणों से तुम्हारे प्राण वैसे ही हर लेंगे, जैसे सूर्य थोड़े-से जल को सोख लेता है।
Valmiki Ramayana · Sundara Kanda 5.19.29 · Sita to Ravana
तस्य धर्मात्मनः पत्नीं स्नुषां दशरथस्य च ।
कथं व्याहरतो मां ते न जिह्वा पाप शीर्यते ॥
tasya dharmātmanaḥ patnīṃ snuṣāṃ daśarathasya ca
kathaṃ vyāharato māṃ te na jihvā pāpa śīryate
“I am the wife of that righteous man and the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha. How is it, sinner, that your tongue does not fall to pieces as you speak to me?”
मैं उन धर्मात्मा राम की पत्नी और दशरथ की पुत्रवधू हूँ। हे पापी, मुझसे ऐसी बातें कहते हुए तुम्हारी जीभ गल कर गिर क्यों नहीं जाती?
Valmiki Ramayana · Sundara Kanda 5.20.19 · Sita to Ravana
शक्या लोभयितुं नाहमैश्वर्येण धनेन वा ।
अनन्या राघवेणाहं भास्करेण प्रभा यथा ॥
उपधाय भुजं तस्य लोकनाथस्य सत्कृतम् ।
कथं नामोपधास्यामि भुजमन्यस्य कस्यचित् ॥
śakyā lobhayituṃ nāham aiśvaryeṇa dhanena vā
ananyā rāghaveṇāhaṃ bhāskareṇa prabhā yathā
upadhāya bhujaṃ tasya lokanāthasya satkṛtam
kathaṃ nāmopadhāsyāmi bhujam anyasya kasya cit
“I cannot be tempted by power or by wealth. I am Rama's and no one else's, as light belongs to the sun. Having rested my head on the honoured arm of that lord of the world, how could I ever rest it on the arm of anyone else?”
मुझे ऐश्वर्य या धन से लुभाया नहीं जा सकता। जैसे प्रभा सूर्य से अलग नहीं, वैसे ही मैं राम से अभिन्न हूँ। उन लोकनाथ की सम्मानित भुजा पर सिर रखने के बाद मैं किसी और की भुजा पर सिर कैसे रख सकती हूँ?
Valmiki Ramayana · Sundara Kanda 5.19.14–15 · Sita to Ravana
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Ram and Sita in the forest of exile, across a whole wall — our three-panel split poster.
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Sita to Rama: "I am coming with you"

किं त्वामन्यत वैदेहः पिता मे मिथिलाधिपः ।
राम जामातरं प्राप्य स्त्रियं पुरुषविग्रहम् ॥
kiṃ tvāmanyata vaidehaḥ pitā me mithilādhipaḥ
rāma jāmātaraṃ prāpya striyaṃ puruṣavigraham
“What was my father, the king of Mithila, thinking, Rama, when he took as his son-in-law a woman in the shape of a man?”
हे राम, मेरे पिता मिथिलापति विदेहराज ने क्या सोचा था, जब उन्होंने पुरुष के रूप में एक स्त्री को अपना दामाद बनाया?
Valmiki Ramayana · Ayodhya Kanda 2.27.3 · Sita to Rama, when he tries to go to the forest without her — 'in love and in pride', says Valmiki
यदि त्वं प्रस्थितो दुर्गं वनमद्यैव राघव ।
अग्रतस्ते गमिष्यामि मृद्नन्ती कुशकण्टकान् ॥
yadi tvaṃ prasthito durgaṃ vanam adyaiva rāghava
agratas te gamiṣyāmi mṛdnantī kuśakaṇṭakān
“If you are leaving for the hard forest today, Raghava, I will walk ahead of you, crushing the kusha grass and thorns underfoot.”
हे राघव, यदि आप आज ही दुर्गम वन को जा रहे हैं, तो मैं आपके आगे-आगे कुश और काँटों को कुचलती हुई चलूँगी।
Valmiki Ramayana · Ayodhya Kanda 2.24.5 · Sita to Rama

Sita's answer at the fire

त्वया तु नरशार्दूल क्रोधमेवानुवर्तता ।
लघुनेव मनुष्येण स्त्रीत्वमेव पुरस्कृतम् ॥
tvayā tu naraśārdūla krodham evānuvartatā
laghuneva manuṣyeṇa strītvam eva puraskṛtam
“But you, tiger among men, giving way to anger like some small-minded man, have put only my being a woman ahead of everything else.”
पर हे नरश्रेष्ठ, आपने क्रोध के वश होकर, किसी ओछे मनुष्य की तरह, मेरे स्त्री होने को ही सबसे आगे रख दिया।
Valmiki Ramayana · Yuddha Kanda 6.104.14 · Sita to Rama, after he rejects her before the army
न तथास्मि महाबाहो यथा त्वमवगच्छसि ।
प्रत्ययं गच्छ मे स्वेन चारित्रेणैव ते शपे ॥
na tathāsmi mahābāho yathā tvam avagacchasi
pratyayaṃ gaccha me svena cāritreṇaiva te śape
“I am not what you take me for, mighty-armed one. Trust me — I swear it to you by my own conduct.”
हे महाबाहु, मैं वैसी नहीं हूँ जैसा आप समझ रहे हैं। मुझ पर विश्वास कीजिए — मैं अपने ही चरित्र की शपथ लेकर कहती हूँ।
Valmiki Ramayana · Yuddha Kanda 6.104.6 · Sita to Rama
Ram Sita Wall Poster – Vanvas | Bharatvarsh Arts
Our Sita Ram Vanvas poster — the forest years she insisted on sharing.
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यथा मे हृदयं नित्यं नापसर्पति राघवात् ।
तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः ॥
yathā me hṛdayaṃ nityaṃ nāpasarpati rāghavāt
tathā lokasya sākṣī māṃ sarvataḥ pātu pāvakaḥ
“As my heart has never once strayed from Raghava, so may Fire, the witness of the world, protect me on every side.”
जिस प्रकार मेरा हृदय कभी भी राघव से दूर नहीं हुआ, उसी प्रकार संसार के साक्षी अग्निदेव सब ओर से मेरी रक्षा करें।
Valmiki Ramayana · Yuddha Kanda 6.104.24 · Sita, before she walks into the fire
यथाहं राघवादन्यं मनसापि न चिन्तये ।
तथा मे माधवी देवी विवरं दातुमर्हति ॥
yathāhaṃ rāghavād anyaṃ manasāpi na cintaye
tathā me mādhavī devī vivaraṃ dātum arhati
“As I have never thought of anyone but Raghava, even in my mind, so may the goddess Earth open and make a place for me.”
जिस प्रकार मैंने राघव के सिवा किसी और का मन से भी चिन्तन नहीं किया, उसी प्रकार माधवी देवी (पृथ्वी) मुझे अपने भीतर स्थान दें।
Valmiki Ramayana · Uttara Kanda 7.88.10 · Sita's last words · the Uttara Kanda is widely held to be a later addition

Two oaths, and the context

Sita's words at the fire come after Rama, in front of the whole army, tells her the war was fought not for her but to wipe the stain from his famous family, and that she is free to go wherever she likes (Yuddha Kanda 6.103.15–18). Her reply above is a rebuke as much as an oath. Her final words, at the end of the Uttara Kanda, are from the book most scholars consider a later layer of the epic; we include them because they are part of the received Valmiki text, and we say so.

Famous "Sita" moments that aren't in Valmiki

  • रामानुज लघु रेख खचाई…
    The Lakshman Rekha, the line Lakshmana draws to protect Sita, is not in Valmiki's Ramayana. The well-known mention is in Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, where Ravana's wife Mandodari taunts him: "you could not even cross the little line Rama's younger brother drew". It was made famous by later retellings and TV.
    Ramcharitmanas, Lanka Kand (before doha 36) · Mandodari · Awadhi, not Sanskrit
  • तुम्ह पावक महुँ करहु निवासा…
    In the Ramcharitmanas, Rama asks the real Sita to stay hidden in fire before the abduction, and Ravana carries off a shadow Sita. Valmiki has no shadow Sita: the woman Ravana takes, and who answers him so fiercely, is Sita herself.
    Ramcharitmanas, Aranya Kand (after doha 23) · Tulsidas · Awadhi
  • जनकसुता जग जननि जानकी…
    A much-loved line for Sita — "Janaki, daughter of Janaka, mother of the world" — but it is Tulsidas in Awadhi (Ramcharitmanas, Bal Kand), not Valmiki's Sanskrit.
    Ramcharitmanas, Bal Kand · Tulsidas · Awadhi
  • Dialogues from TV Ramayans
    Many "Sita quotes" shared online come from TV serials such as Ramayan (1987) or Siya Ke Ram (2015–16). They are modern scripts, not lines from Valmiki.
    TV serials · modern scripts

Questions people ask

What did Sita say to Ravana?

In the Ashoka grove she tells him she cannot be tempted by power or wealth, that she belongs to Rama as light belongs to the sun (Sundara Kanda 5.19.14), and that she does not burn him to ashes only because Rama hasn't ordered it (5.20.20). When he first carries her off, she calls him a jackal chasing a lioness (Aranya Kanda 3.45.32).

Is the Lakshman Rekha in the Valmiki Ramayana?

No. It isn't in Valmiki's critical edition. The well-known mention is a single line in Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas (Lanka Kand), spoken by Mandodari; the full scene is from later retellings and television.

What did Sita say during the Agni Pariksha?

She tells Rama she is not what he takes her for, swears by her own conduct (Yuddha Kanda 6.104.6), rebukes him for treating her "like a small-minded man" (6.104.14), and asks Agni, the witness of the world, to protect her as her heart has never left Rama (6.104.24). Then she walks into the fire.

What were Sita's last words?

"As I have never thought of anyone but Raghava, even in my mind, so may the goddess Earth make a place for me" (Uttara Kanda 7.88.10). The Uttara Kanda is widely regarded by scholars as a later addition to Valmiki's epic.

Where do these meanings come from?

The Sanskrit is from the critical edition of the Valmiki Ramayana as given on GRETIL. The English and Hindi meanings are our own close renderings.

Bring Sita and Ram home

Ram Sita Large Wall Poster – Beautiful Vanvas | Bharatvarsh Arts
Our Beautiful Sita Ram Vanvas poster, in large format.
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