Shloka 3.35.32

मारीचाश्रमगमनम् (Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage)

Devanagari script

एकपादेन धर्मात्मा भक्षयित्वा तदामिषम्।।।।निषादविषयं हत्वा शाखया पतगोत्तमः।प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे मोक्षयित्वा महामुनीन्।।।।

Transliteration

ekapādena dharmātmā bhakṣayitvā tadāmiṣam | niṣādaviṣayaṃ hatvā śākhayā patagottamaḥ | praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe mokṣayitvā mahāmunīn ||

Translation

Standing on a single foot, the righteous best of birds ate that flesh; then, with the branch, he destroyed the Niṣāda settlement, and having delivered the great sages, he attained boundless joy.

Context

Righteous Garuda, the best among the birds, stood on one foot and ate the flesh (of elephant and tortoise) and with the branch of the tree, destroyed the settlement of the demons. Over the destruction of the demons and deliverance of the great seers he felt immeasurable happiness.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• mahāmuni (great sages)
• Niṣāda-viṣaya (Niṣāda settlement/region)
• elephant
• tortoise

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the holy and the innocent: liberation of sages and removal of predatory violence are presented as righteous ends, and joy is grounded in service to that moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

After carrying away the branch to save the seers, Garuḍa consumes the prey and destroys the threatening settlement, thereby freeing the sages from danger.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Righteous protectiveness—courage and strength disciplined by dharma, culminating in the rescue (mokṣaṇa) of sages.