Shloka 10

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

Sarga 29: Rama’s Admonition to Khara and the Shattering of the Mace

Devanagari script

पापमाचरतां घोरं लोकस्याप्रियमिच्छताम्।अहमासादितो राजा प्राणान्हन्तुं निशाचर।।।।

Transliteration

pāpam ācaratāṃ ghoraṃ lokasyāpriyam icchatām |

aham āsādito rājā prāṇān hantuṃ niśācara ||

Translation

O Nachtwandler, auf Befehl des Königs bin ich gekommen, das Leben derer zu beenden, die schreckliche Sünde begehen und begehren, was der Welt verhasst ist.

Word by Word

• pāpam: sin
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; आचर्-क्रियायाः कर्म

• ācaratām: of those practicing
• ācaratām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-car (चर् धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle) → 'ācarat' stem; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; जनानाम्-विशेषणम् ('of those who practice')

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; pāpam-विशेषणम्

• lokasya: of the world
• lokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• apriyam: what is displeasing
• apriyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; icchatām-क्रियायाः कर्म ('what is undesired/offensive')

• icchatām: of those desiring
• icchatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (इष्/इच्छ् धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle) → 'icchat' stem; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ācaratām-समन्वयः ('of those who desire')

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• āsāditaḥ: have come/approached
• āsāditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-sad (सद् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अहम्-समन्वयः; अर्थः 'approached/come upon'

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अहम्-अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• prāṇān: lives
• prāṇān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; hantuṃ-क्रियायाः कर्म

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), 'to kill'

• niśācara: O night-wanderer
• niśācara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā-cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (niśāyāḥ caraḥ)

Context

Effulgent Rama looked at Khara who stood with a mace in hand minus his chariot and said to him first in a gentle voice and then harshly :

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Khara
• king (Daśaratha implied as royal order/ideal of kingship)
• niśācara (rākṣasa category)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma: the ruler (and the prince acting for that order) must protect society by restraining and, when necessary, punishing grave wrongdoers.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama confronts Khara during the fight and states the moral-legal basis for his action: eliminating violent criminals who terrorize the world.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to justice and public welfare—Rama frames combat as duty, not personal vengeance.