Shloka 3.39.4

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Aranyakanda 39): राक्षसस्य रामत्रासवर्णनम् / The Demon’s Account of Rama-Fear

Devanagari script

अग्निहोत्रेषु तीर्थेषु चैत्यवृक्षेषु रावण।अत्यन्तघोरो व्यचरं तापसान्सम्प्रधर्षयन्।।।।

Transliteration

agnihotreṣu tīrtheṣu caityavṛkṣeṣu rāvaṇa |

atyantaghoro vyacaraṃ tāpasān sampradharṣayan ||

Translation

O Rāvaṇa, in an exceedingly dreadful form I ranged about the sites of agnihotra, the holy fords, and the sacred trees, harassing the ascetics devoted to tapas.

Context

O Ravana, assuming a very dreadful form, I wandered about sacrificial spots, sacred places, river banks, under huge trees planted at quadrangles-torturing the ascetics.

Characters & Entities

• Marīca
• Rāvaṇa
• agnihotra (sacrificial rite)
• tīrtha (sacred ford/place)
• caityavṛkṣa (sacred tree)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes safeguarding yajña and holy places; tormenting ascetics and defiling sacred spaces is a direct violation of religious and social order.

What is the narrative situation?

Marīca recounts his past offenses against sacred institutions while warning Rāvaṇa about the consequences of continued adharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is reverence and restraint toward sacred spaces and holy practitioners; Marīca’s recollection serves as a cautionary mirror.