Shloka 9

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

स श्वेतवालव्यजनः श्वेतच्छत्रो दशाननः।स्निग्धवैदूर्यसंकाश स्तप्तकाञ्चनकुण्डलः।।3.35.8।।विंशद्भुजो दशग्रीवो दर्शनीयपरिच्छदः।त्रिदशारिर्मुनीन्द्रघ्नो दशशीर्ष इवाद्रिराट्।।3.35.9।।कामगं रथमास्थाय शुशुभे राक्षसेश्वरः।विद्युन्मण्डलवान्मेघस्सबलाक इवाम्बरे।।3.35.10।।

Transliteration

sa śvetavālavyajanaḥ śvetacchatro daśānanaḥ |

snigdhavaidūryasaṅkāśaḥ staptakāñcanakuṇḍalaḥ ||

viṃśadbhujō daśagrīvo darśanīyaparicchadaḥ |

tridaśārir munīndraghno daśaśīrṣa ivādrirāṭ ||

kāmagaṃ ratham āsthāya śuśubhe rākṣaseśvaraḥ |

vidyunmaṇḍalavān meghaḥ sabalāka ivāmbare ||

Translation

وكان ذا المراوح البيضاء من ذَنَبِ الياك والمظلّة البيضاء، رافانا ذو الوجوه العشرة—يلمع كالياقوتِ الفيدوريا المصقول، متحلّياً بأقراطٍ من ذهبٍ محمّى—ذو الأعناق العشرة والأذرع العشرين، بهيَّ الزينة، عدوَّ الآلهة وقاتلَ كبارِ الحكماء، كملكِ جبلٍ ذي عشرِ قمم. ولمّا اعتلى المركبة التي تسير حيث يشاء، تألّق سيّدُ الرّاكشاسا كغيمةٍ في السماء مطوّقةٍ بالبرق، تتبعها طيورُ الكُرْكِيّ.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular

• śailam: mountain
• śailam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; द्वितीया/Accusative (2nd), एकवचन/Singular

• sāgara-anūpam: having sea-shores/sea-marshes
• sāgara-anūpam: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक) + anūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: ‘सागरानूपं (सागरस्य अनूपवत्/सागरानूपम्)’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; द्वितीया/Accusative (2nd), एकवचन/Singular; ‘शैलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• vīryavān: valiant
• vīryavān: Karta (कर्ता/subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīrya + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• avalokayan: looking at
• avalokayan: Karta (कर्ता/subject participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-lok (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle active); पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; प्रथमा/Nominative (1st), एकवचन/Singular

• nānā-puṣpa-phalaiḥ: with various flowers and fruits
• nānā-puṣpa-phalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nānā (अव्यय) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (flowers and fruits as a set) with nānā as qualifier; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; तृतीया/Instrumental (3rd), बहुवचन/Plural

• vṛkṣaiḥ: by/with trees
• vṛkṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/Masculine; तृतीया/Instrumental (3rd), बहुवचन/Plural

• anukīrṇam: strewn; covered
• anukīrṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-kīrṇa (प्रातिपदिक; kṝ-धातोः क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/Neuter; द्वितीया/Accusative (2nd), एकवचन/Singular; ‘शैलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• sahasraśaḥ: in thousands; profusely
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (distributive adverb: ‘by thousands’)

Context

Maricha extended his hospitality with appropriate food and water and said with meaningful words:

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• gods (tridaśa)
• great sages (munīndra)
• vaidūrya (gemstone)
• lightning (vidyut)
• cranes (balāka)

FAQs

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

The Ramayana warns that brilliance and majesty do not equal dharma. Rāvaṇa’s dazzling appearance is juxtaposed with epithets like “slayer of sages,” implying moral decline beneath grandeur.

What is the narrative situation?

A detailed poetic description frames Rāvaṇa’s departure, heightening tension before his encounter with Mārīca and the unfolding plot against Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

No virtue is emphasized; the verse stresses overwhelming power and intimidating splendor, reinforcing the theme that unchecked power without satya and dharma becomes destructive.