Shloka 38

मायामृगदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Illusory Deer

Devanagari script

एतेन हि नृशंसेन मारीचेनाकृतात्मना।वने विचरता पूर्वं हिंसिता मुनिपुङ्गवाः।।।।

Transliteration

etena hi nṛśaṃsena mārīcenākṛtātmanā | vane vicaratā pūrvaṃ hiṃsitā munipuṅgavāḥ ||

Translation

Denn einst, als er in diesem Wald umherstreifte, quälte jener grausame Mārīca mit verderbter Seele die erhabensten der Weisen.

Word by Word

• एतेन: by this (one); by him
• एतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc/Neut), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• नृशंसेन: by the cruel (one)
• नृशंसेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) मारीचेन

• मारीचेन: by Mārīca
• मारीचेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारीच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• अकृतात्मना: by the undisciplined/evil-minded (one)
• अकृतात्मना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + कृतात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहिः: कृतात्मा यस्य न (one whose self is not disciplined)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विचरता: while wandering
• विचरता: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/participial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); (while) wandering

• पूर्वम्: formerly; earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly/earlier)

• हिंसिताः: were harmed; were harassed
• हिंसिताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिंस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मुनिपुङ्गवाः: foremost sages
• मुनिपुङ्गवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + पुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः मुनीनां पुङ्गवाः (bulls among sages)

Context

The great sages were tortured and killed earlier by this cruel, evil-minded Maricha while wandering in the forest.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• forest (Daṇḍaka context)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes protection of ascetics and the harmless (ahiṃsā-vrata practitioners). Those who violate truth and nonviolence by persecuting sages become legitimate targets of righteous restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama recalls Mārīca’s past violence against sages, strengthening the moral justification for confronting him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Justice-oriented guardianship: Rama’s kingship-in-exile still expresses royal duty to shield sages from predation.