Shloka 12

माल्यवानुपदेशः—रावणक्रोधः तथा लङ्काद्वाररक्षा-व्यवस्था

Malyavan’s Counsel, Ravana’s Anger, and the Fortification of Lanka

Devanagari script

यदितावत्समुद्रेतुसेतुर्बद्धोयदृच्छया ।रामेणविस्मयःकोऽत्रयेवमेभयमागतम् ।।।।

Transliteration

yadi tāvat samudre tu setur baddho yadṛcchayā |

rāmeṇa vismayaḥ ko 'tra yena me bhayam āgatam ||

Translation

Si por mero azar Rāma ha tendido un puente sobre el océano, ¿qué hay de tan asombroso en ello para que el miedo te haya sobrecogido?

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• तावत्: so much/only this much
• तावत्: Parimāṇa (परिमाण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-अव्यय (so much/that much)

• समुद्रे: in the ocean
• समुद्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय

• सेतुः: bridge
• सेतुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• बद्धः: built/bound
• बद्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सेतुः इति विशेषणम्

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Hetu/Upāya (हेतु/उपाय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; ‘by chance’ (adverbial use)

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• विस्मयः: wonder
• विस्मयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कः: what?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• येन: by which
• येन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by which/whereby’

• मे: to me/of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject of āgatam)

• आगतम्: has come/has arisen
• आगतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भयम् इति विशेषणम्

Context

"Rama having crossed the sea with his Vanara army will not go back with life. It is true."

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Ocean (Samudra)
• Bridge (Setu)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse shows how ego can deny evident truth; dharma requires clear-sighted acceptance of reality (satya) rather than dismissing it as “chance.”

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa downplays Rāma’s achievement of building the sea-bridge and rebukes the fear it causes among his side.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Negatively, it highlights arrogance and denial; positively, it points to the virtue of prudence—recognizing genuine threats and responding wisely.