Shloka 23

मारीचवधः — The Slaying of Maricha

Golden Deer Deception

Devanagari script

मारीचस्य तु मायैषा पूर्वोक्तं लक्ष्मणेन तु।तत्तथा ह्यभवच्चाद्य मारीचोऽयं मया हतः।।।।

Transliteration

mārīcasya tu māyaiṣā pūrvoktaṃ lakṣmaṇena tu |

tat tathā hy abhavac cādya mārīco 'yaṃ mayā hataḥ ||

Translation

إن هذا بالفعل هو وهم ماريشا، تماماً كما تنبأ لاكشمانا. وهكذا حدث اليوم: لقد قُتل ماريشا هذا بيدي.

Word by Word

• मारीचस्य: of Maricha
• मारीचस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे ‘but/indeed’

• माया: illusion/magic
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘this’ (agreeing with ‘māyā’)

• पूर्वोक्तम्: previously stated
• पूर्वोक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (√vac, धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘previously said’ (predicate/qualifier)

• लक्ष्मणेन: by Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), पुनरुक्त-बलार्थे

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘that (thing)’

• तथा: thus/in that way
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• अभवत्: happened/was
• अभवत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मारीचः: Maricha
• मारीचः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• हतः: killed
• हतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate)

Context

Seeing that terrific demon fallen on the ground, drenched in blood, and strring his limbs, Rama thought of Lakshmana's words and reached Sita mentally (thought of her).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Mārīca
• Lakṣmaṇa
• māyā (illusion)

FAQs

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

Recognition of truth amid illusion: dharma requires clarity (yathārtha-jñāna) and respect for sound counsel, not being misled by appearances.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma realizes the event matches Lakṣmaṇa’s warning: Mārīca’s māyā has played out, and Mārīca is now dead.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and humility before good advice: Rāma validates Lakṣmaṇa’s foresight rather than dismissing it.