Shloka 3.2.4

Virādha-saṃvādaḥ — Encounter with Virādha in the Daṇḍakāraṇya (Aranya Kanda, Sarga 2)

Devanagari script

सीतया सह काकुत्स्थस्तस्मिनघोरमृगायुते।ददर्श गिरिशृङ्गाभं पुरुषादं महास्वनम्।।।।

Transliteration

sītayā saha kākutsthas tasmin aghora-mṛgāyute | dadarśa giriśṛṅgābhaṃ puruṣādaṃ mahāsvanam ||

Translation

As Kakutstha Rāma moved with Sītā through that region teeming with dreadful beasts, he beheld a man-eating rākṣasa, roaring mightily and towering like a mountain peak.

Context

While Rama along with Sita was wandering in the forest infested with dreadful animals, he saw a roaring cannibal resembling the peak of a mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• Virādha (implied by context as the man-eater encountered here)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is protective vigilance: when adharma appears as predatory violence, the righteous must recognize it promptly and respond to safeguard the vulnerable.

What is the narrative situation?

The first sighting of the terrifying man-eater (Virādha) occurs as Rāma and Sītā traverse the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s alert guardianship—his role as protector becomes central as danger approaches.