Shloka 15

खरस्य क्रोधः — शूर्पणखावृत्तान्तकथनम्

Khara’s Wrath and Śūrpaṇakhā’s Report

Devanagari script

तरुणौ रूपसम्पन्नौ सुकुमारौ महाबलौ।पुण्डरीकविशालाक्षौ चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरौ।।3.19.14।।फलमूलाशनौ दान्तौ तापसौ धर्मचारिणौ।पुत्रौ दशरथस्यास्तां भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।।3.19.15।।

Transliteration

taruṇau rūpasampannau sukumārau mahābalau | puṇḍarīka-viśālākṣau cīra-kṛṣṇājināmbarau || phala-mūlāśanau dāntau tāpasau dharmacāriṇau | putrau daśarathasyāstāṁ bhrātarau rāma-lakṣmaṇau ||

Translation

Il y a deux jeunes hommes — beaux, doux mais puissants — aux yeux de lotus, vêtus d'écorces et de peaux d'antilope noire. Se nourrissant de fruits et de racines, maîtres d'eux-mêmes, vivant en ascètes selon la voie du Dharma : ce sont les frères Rama et Lakshmana, fils de Dasharatha.

Word by Word

• phala-mūla-aśanau: living on fruits and roots
• phala-mūla-aśanau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + aśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (phala-mūlaṃ aśnanti iti / phala-mūla-aśana), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• dāntau: self-restrained
• dāntau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dānta (प्रातिपदिक; √dam + kta)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• tāpasau: ascetics
• tāpasau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• dharma-cāriṇau: practising righteousness
• dharma-cāriṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + cārin (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (dharmaṃ carataḥ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• putrau: two sons
• putrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• daśarathasya: of Daśaratha
• daśarathasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक; proper noun)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana

• āstām: they are (there)
• āstām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ/vidhiliṅ-like usage? (classical: perfect/imperative sense) Here: 3rd person, Dvivacana; used as copula 'they are/they were'

• bhrātarau: two brothers
• bhrātarau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
• rāma-lakṣmaṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (itaretara), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

Context

Here are two young sons of Dasaratha, Rama and Lakshmana, who are gentle, handsome, strong, with eyes like white lotus, wearing deerskin and bark robes, living on fruits and roots, selfrestrained like ascetics and following the righteous path.

Characters & Entities

• Shurpanakha
• Khara
• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Dasharatha

FAQs

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

The verse reinforces dharma as lived discipline—restraint and righteous practice—rather than mere status or power.

What is the narrative situation?

A repeated/parallel transmission of the prior description (as preserved in this Southern Recension input) of Rama and Lakshmana.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint and dharma-observance (dānta, dharmacārin) in the brothers.