Shloka 13

Devanagari script

तं तदा दण्डकारण्ये यज्ञमुद्दिश्य दीक्षितम्।बभूवोपस्थितो रामश्चित्रं विष्फारयन्धनुः।।3.38.13।।

Transliteration

taṁ tadā daṇḍakāraṇye yajñam uddiśya dīkṣitam |

babhūv upasthito rāmaś citraṁ viṣphārayan dhanuḥ || 3.38.13 ||

Translation

Alors, dans la forêt de Daṇḍaka, le yajña en vue et la dīkṣā accomplie, Rāma se tint en sentinelle, bandant son arc merveilleux.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म; उपस्थाने)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• daṇḍaka-araṇye: in the Dandaka forest
• daṇḍaka-araṇye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍaka + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दण्डकस्य अरण्यम्)

• yajñam: the sacrifice
• yajñam: Karma (कर्म; उद्दिश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uddiśya: for the purpose of
• uddiśya: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) ‘having aimed at/for the sake of’

• dīkṣitam: the consecrated one
• dīkṣitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of tam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīkṣita (प्रातिपदिक; √dīkṣ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (one consecrated/initiated)

• babhūva: became/was
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• upasthitaḥ: present/standing by
• upasthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; rāmaḥ with predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upasthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; upa-√sthā)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate adjective)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• citram: wonderfully
• citram: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: wonderfully)

• viṣphārayan: stretching/twanging
• viṣphārayan: Karta (कर्ता; rāmaḥ के सहवर्ती क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: viṣ-√phar/√sphar (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• dhanuḥ: the bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म; viṣphārayan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

Context

Then Rama was initiated for the protection of sacrifices and stood on guard, stretching his wonderful bow.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daṇḍakāraṇya
• yajña (sacrifice)
• dhanuḥ (bow)

FAQs

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

Protection of sacred rites is dharma: force is sanctified when used to defend yajña and those who uphold truth and discipline.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma is positioned as the protector during the sacrificial observance in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance and disciplined readiness—heroism expressed as guardianship rather than conquest.