Shloka 2

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

Devanagari script

सोऽहं रूपमिदं कृत्वा लोकवित्रासनं महत्।।3.71.2।।ऋषीन्वनगतान्राम त्रासयामि ततस्ततः।

Transliteration

so 'haṃ rūpam idaṃ kṛtvā lokavitrāsanaṃ mahat | ṛṣīn vanagatān rāma trāsayāmi tatas tataḥ ||

Translation

Oh Rāma, adoptando esta forma terrible, gran espanto para el mundo, solía hostigar una y otra vez a los ṛṣis que moraban en el bosque.

Word by Word

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (adjectival pronoun)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya-hetu (क्रियाहेतु/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done/made’

• लोक-वित्रासनम्: terrorizing of the world
• लोक-वित्रासनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वित्रासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘लोकस्य वित्रासनम्’

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• ऋषीन्: seers
• ऋषीन्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्

• वन-गतान्: gone into the forest
• वन-गतान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √गम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘वने गताः’ (gone to/being in the forest)

• राम: O Rama
• राम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• त्रासयामि: I terrorize
• त्रासयामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रासय् (धातु; causative of √त्रस्)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Desha-Kala-adhikarana (देश/काल-अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) ‘from there/then’

• ततः: again and again/at various places
• ततः: Desha-Kala-adhikarana (देश/काल-अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; पुनरुक्त-क्रियाविशेषणम् (reduplicated adverb)

Context

O best among men! I will help you with my wisdom and give you friendly advice when I am purified by you both through cremation on the funeral pyre.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Rishis (forest sages)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights adharma: using power to terrorize the innocent—especially sages devoted to tapas—violates the duty to protect the righteous and uphold social and spiritual order.

What is the narrative situation?

Danu speaks to Rāma, describing how he previously assumed a fearsome form and repeatedly tormented forest-dwelling ṛṣis.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By implication, the virtue upheld is protection of the innocent and reverence toward ascetics; the speaker’s confession contrasts with the dharmic ideal.