Shloka 3.57.8

मारीचवधोत्तरं रामस्य शङ्का-निमित्त-दर्शनं लक्ष्मण-निग्रहश्च (After Maricha’s Slaying: Omens, Anxiety, and Rama’s Rebuke of Lakshmana)

Devanagari script

राक्षसैस्सहितैर्नूनं सीताया ईप्सितो वधः।काञ्चनश्च मृगो भूत्वा व्यपनीयाश्रमात्तु माम्।।3.57.7।।दूरं नीत्वा तु मारीचो राक्षसोऽभूच्छरा हतः।हा लक्ष्मण हतोऽस्मीति यद्वाक्यं व्याजहार ह।।3.57.8।।

Transliteration

dūraṃ nītvā tu mārīco rākṣaso ’bhūc charā hataḥ | hā lakṣmaṇa hato ’smīti yad-vākyaṃ vyājahāra ha ||

Translation

Having taken me far away, Mārīca—the rākṣasa—when struck by my arrows, revealed his true form and uttered: “Ah, Lakṣmaṇa, I am slain!”

Context

'Hence the murder of Sita must have been jointly planned by the demons. Maricha who had assumed the form of a golden deer, took me away from the hermitage to a faroff place where, killed by my arrows, he turned a demon uttering the words, Alas, Lakshmana, I am killed.

Characters & Entities

• Mā rīca
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• rākṣasa
• arrows (śara)

FAQs

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

Satya (truth) is contrasted with deliberate falsehood: adharma weaponizes lies to trigger righteous action in the wrong direction.

What is the narrative situation?

After being shot, Mā rīca reveals his rākṣasa form and cries out in a way meant to deceive Sītā and draw Lakṣmaṇa away.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

For Rāma, decisiveness in combat; for the ethical frame, the need for discernment against deception.