Shloka 10

Devanagari script

तिष्ठतैवात्र सन्तुष्टा नोपावर्तितुमर्हथ।यदि प्राणैरिहार्थो वा निवर्तध्वं निशाचराः।।।।

Transliteration

tiṣṭhataivātra santuṣṭā nōpāvartitum arhatha | yadi prāṇair ihārtho vā nivartadhvaṃ niśācarāḥ ||

Translation

Quedaos aquí, satisfechos, y no creáis que merecéis volver atrás; pero si apreciáis la vida, retroceded, oh merodeadores de la noche.

Word by Word

• tiṣṭhata: stay/stand
• tiṣṭhata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• santuṣṭāḥ: being satisfied/content
• santuṣṭāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + tuṣ (तुष् धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; vocative-sense addressing niśācarāḥ

• na: not
• na: Niṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• upāvartitum: to return
• upāvartitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + ā + vṛt (वृत् धातु)
• Form: Tumun (तुमुन्) infinitive; 'to turn back/return'

• arhatha: you ought/are fit
• arhatha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Bahuvacana; parasmaipada; with na = 'you should not'

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conditional conjunction (शर्त)

• prāṇaiḥ: with (your) lives
• prāṇaiḥ: Karaṇa/Upādhi (करण/उपाधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Bahuvacana

• iha: here
• iha: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (देश/काल) = 'here/in this matter'

• arthaḥ: purpose/need
• arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; disjunctive particle (विकल्प)

• nivartadhvam: turn back/withdraw
• nivartadhvam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + vṛt (वृत् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Bahuvacana; ātmanepada

• niśācarāḥ: O night-rangers (demons)
• niśācarāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative/सम्बोधन), Bahuvacana

Context

If you care for your life, you may return, or else, if you please you may remain (die) here, O demons.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• niśācaraḥ (demons)

FAQs

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

Rama offers a clear warning and a chance to withdraw, reflecting restrained use of force and moral accountability before violence—an aspect of kṣatriya-dharma aligned with satya (plain, direct speech).

What is the narrative situation?

In the Daṇḍaka/Janasthāna region, Rama confronts a group of Khara’s demons and tells them to retreat if they wish to live, otherwise remain and face the consequences.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s controlled courage and moral clarity: he is fearless yet gives the opponent an explicit option to desist.