Shloka 3.31.48

अकम्पनवृत्तान्तः — Akampana Reports Janasthana; Ravana Plans Sita’s Abduction

Devanagari script

चापापहारे भुजवेगपङ्के शरोर्मिमाले सुमहाहवौघे।न रामपातालमुखेऽतिघोरे प्रस्कन्दितुं राक्षसराज युक्तम्।।3.31.48।।

Transliteration

cāpāpahāre bhuja-vega-paṅke śarormi-māle su-mahā-havaughе | na rāma-pātāla-mukhe 'ti-ghore praskandituṃ rākṣasa-rāja yuktam || 3.31.48 ||

Translation

O king of rākṣasas, it is not proper to leap into that dread mouth of the netherworld—Rāma—where the war-flood is immense, his arm-force is a mire of whirlpools, and his arrows form unbroken lines of waves.

Context

O king of demons ! it is not proper (for you) to jump into the extremely fierce mouth of the nether world known as Rama. Who can steal the bow from his mighty arms which are whirlpools of mud. His arrows are rows of waves in the flow of the great war.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• Pātāla (netherworld) (metaphor)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes avoiding reckless aggression rooted in desire; when the intended act is unjust, the ‘battle’ it invites is likened to plunging into a fatal abyss.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca depicts confrontation with Rāma as entering a terrifying, inescapable realm, discouraging Rāvaṇa from initiating conflict through Sītā’s abduction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic wisdom: recognizing when an action is both immoral and catastrophically imprudent.