Shloka 3.29.6

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः (Sarga 29: Rama’s Admonition to Khara and the Shattering of the Mace)

Devanagari script

वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः।किन्नु हत्वा महाभागान्फलं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस।।।।

Transliteration

vasato daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasān dharmacāriṇaḥ |

kiṃ nu hatvā mahābhāgān phalaṃ prāpsyasi rākṣasa ||

Translation

O rākṣasa, what ‘gain’ do you expect to obtain by killing those venerable ascetics—followers of dharma—who dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest?

Context

O demon ! what benefit will you get by killing the venerable ascetics, followers of righteous path residing in Dandaka forest?

Characters & Entities

• Daṇḍaka forest
• tāpasas (ascetics)
• rākṣasa

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the innocent and especially those devoted to spiritual discipline; violence against dharma-practitioners is condemned as purposeless and self-harming.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker rebukes a rākṣasa for attacking ascetics living in Daṇḍaka, questioning the supposed ‘benefit’ of such cruelty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for dharma and compassion—recognizing ascetics as worthy of protection rather than harm.