Shloka 2

महापार्श्वस्य परामर्शः

Mahāpārśva’s Counsel and Rāvaṇa’s Confession of Brahmā’s Curse

Devanagari script

यःखल्वपिवनंप्राप्यमृगव्यालनिषेवितम् ।नपिबेन्मधुसम्प्राप्यसनरोबालिशोभवेत् ।।।।

Transliteration

yaḥ khalv api vanaṃ prāpya mṛgavyāla-niṣevitam |

na pibed madhu samprāpya sa naro bāliśo bhavet ||

Translation

Wer auch immer einen von Bestien und Raubtieren bewohnten Wald erreicht, Honig findet und ihn doch nicht trinkt – solch ein Mann würde sicherlich als töricht gelten.

Word by Word

• यः: whoever
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/निश्चयार्थ

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि=even/also

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थकर्म (object of motion)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकाल (having reached)

• मृगव्यालनिषेवितम्: inhabited by beasts and serpents
• मृगव्यालनिषेवितम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग + व्याल + नि-सेवित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past participle) ‘निषेवित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वनम् इति विशेषण; समासः: मृग-व्यालैः निषेवितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मधु: honey
• मधु: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सम्प्राप्य: having obtained
• सम्प्राप्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वकाल (having obtained)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अन्वय-सूचक (correlative pronoun)

• नरः: man/person
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सः इति विशेष्य

• बालिशः: foolish/childish
• बालिशः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बालिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नरः इति विशेषण

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

"Then the high- souled Brahma happened to know about that incident, I believe. Enraged Brahma made this statement to me."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse frames a hedonistic logic—risk is justified if pleasure is gained. In Ramayana’s dharmic lens, this becomes a warning: intelligence is not mere acquisition, but restraint and right choice.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa speaks in a self-assured, provocative tone, rationalizing indulgence and dismissing caution as foolishness, setting up his hubris before confronting Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), the virtue is self-control (dama) and discernment (viveka), which dharma values over impulsive enjoyment.