Shloka 40

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

तं स्वयं पूजयित्वा तु भोजनेनोदकेन च।अर्थोपहितया वाचा मारीचो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ svayaṃ pūjayitvā tu bhojanenodakena ca |

arthopahitayā vācā mārīco vākyam abravīt ||

Translation

وبعد أن أكرمه ماريتشا بنفسه بالطعام والماء، قال له كلاماً موزوناً بالغرض والمعنى.

Word by Word

• kaccit: I hope/Is it the case that...?
• kaccit: Sambandha (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kaccit (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थ-निपात (interrogative particle: 'is it well?')

• sukuśalam: well-being
• sukuśalam: Karma/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as predicate: 'well-being'

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• laṅkāyām: in Laṅkā
• laṅkāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• rākṣasa-īśvara: O lord of demons
• rākṣasa-īśvara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: राक्षसानाम् ईश्वरः

• kena: by what/for what
• kena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; interrogative instrumental

• arthena: purpose
• arthena: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; with kena = 'for what purpose'

• punar: again
• punar: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 2nd person pronoun

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• tūrṇam: quickly/so soon
• tūrṇam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇam (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थ-अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb: thus)

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• āgataḥ: have you come/arrived
• āgataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle used predicatively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'has come'

Context

Thus ordered, the smart charioteer got the chariot of his choice harnessed in an instant.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Speech should be artha-yukta—truthful and purposeful. The Ramayana repeatedly treats vāṇī (speech) as a moral instrument that can uphold dharma or enable adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Hospitality concludes and the dialogue begins; Mārīca prepares to question Rāvaṇa’s sudden arrival.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Measured, meaningful speech—communication that is not idle but directed toward understanding motives and circumstances.