Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 5

Śrī Rāmacandra-avatāra — Vow, Exile, Laṅkā-vijaya, and Rāma-rājya

Concise Bhāgavata Account

Devanagari script

विश्वामित्राध्वरे येन मारीचाद्या निशाचरा: । पश्यतो लक्ष्मणस्यैव हता नैर्ऋतपुङ्गवा: ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

viśvāmitrādhvare yena mārīcādyā niśā-carāḥ paśyato lakṣmaṇasyaiva hatā nairṛta-puṅgavāḥ

Translation

In the arena of the sacrifice performed by Viśvāmitra, Lord Rāmacandra, the King of Ayodhyā, killed many demons, Rākṣasas and uncivilized men who wandered at night in the mode of darkness. May Lord Rāmacandra, who killed these demons in the presence of Lakṣmaṇa, be kind enough to give us protection.

Synonyms

• विश्वामित्र-अध्वरे: in Viśvāmitra’s sacrifice
• विश्वामित्र-अध्वरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वामित्रस्य अध्वरे) — Locative singular

• येन: by whom
• येन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Instrumental singular of relative pronoun

• मारीच-आद्याः: (those) beginning with Mārīca
• मारीच-आद्याः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारीच (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मारीचः आदिः येषाम्) — Nominative plural

• निशा-चराः: night-rangers (demons)
• निशा-चराः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (निशायां चरन्ति) — Nominative plural

• पश्यतः: of (him) watching
• पश्यतः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्यत् (कृदन्त; √पश् दर्शने)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग — Genitive singular “while (he) was seeing”

• लक्ष्मणस्य: of Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• हताः: were killed
• हताः: कर्म (Karma/Patient; passive subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हता (कृदन्त; √हन् हिंसायाम्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — “were slain” (passive sense)

• नैर्ऋत-पुङ्गवाः: the foremost of the Rākṣasas
• नैर्ऋत-पुङ्गवाः: कर्म (Karma/Patient; passive subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्ऋत (प्रातिपदिक) + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नैर्ऋतानां पुङ्गवाः) — Nominative plural

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Mārīca
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Lord Rama protecting Vishvamitra’s yajna?

This verse states that Lord Rāma slew the foremost Rākṣasas, such as Mārīca, during Viśvāmitra’s sacrifice, thereby protecting the sacred rite from disruption.

Why were Maricha and other rakshasas attacking Vishvamitra’s sacrifice?

Rākṣasas are described as niśācaras—night-roaming disruptors—who oppose yajña and dharma; this verse highlights their role as obstacles that Lord Rāma removed to safeguard the sage’s worship.

Practical application: what can devotees learn from Rama protecting the yajna?

Protecting sincere spiritual practice—one’s own and others’—is a form of dharma; devotees can support sacred study, worship, and ethical living by removing distractions and defending what is spiritually beneficial.