Shloka 8

मायाशिरोप्रदर्शनम्

The Display of the Illusory Head of Rāma

Devanagari script

शिरोमायामयंगृह्यराघवस्यनिशाचर: ।त्वंमांसमुतिष्ठस्वमहच्चसशरंधनुः ।।।।

Transliteration

śiro māyāmayaṃ gṛhya rāghavasya niśācaraḥ |

tvaṃ māṃ samutiṣṭhasva mahac ca saśaraṃ dhanuḥ ||

Translation

O rākṣasa, der in der Nacht umherstreift, nimm das trügerische Haupt Rāghavas und tritt vor mich hin—und bringe auch den großen Bogen mit dem Pfeil.

Word by Word

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म/Object of गृह्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मायामयम्: illusory
• मायामयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास/निर्मित-विशेषण (मायया मयम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of शिरः)

• गृह्य: having taken/seized
• गृह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive; gṛhya)

• राघवस्य: of Raghava (Rama)
• राघवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• निशाचरः: night-ranger (Rakshasa)
• निशाचरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; vocative sense possible in address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन/2nd-person subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• समुतिष्ठस्व: stand by/attend
• समुतिष्ठस्व: Vidhi (विधेय/Imperative predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + सम्-उत् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of धनुः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• सशरम्: with an arrow
• सशरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपपद) + शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शरेण सह/शरयुक्तम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of धनुः)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म/Object; to be brought/held, implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Then Ravana placing that head brought by Vidyujihvam and the famous bow on the ground said to the daughter of the king of Videha, "Now you may submit to my will."।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेएकत्रिंशस्सर्गः ।।This is the end of the thirty first sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Vidyujjihva
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• bow (kārmuka/dhanuḥ)
• arrow

FAQs

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

The verse demonstrates how adharma weaponizes symbols (a ‘head’, a ‘bow’) to create despair. Dharma values truth; this is a planned violation of satya.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa gives specific instructions for a staged ‘proof’ meant to convince Sītā that Rāma has been killed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s heroic identity is indirectly emphasized through his famed weapons; Sītā’s fidelity is targeted as the plot’s objective.