Shloka 15

मायामृगप्रकरणम्

The Illusory Deer Episode: Ravana and Maricha at Rama’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

स तु तद्रूपमास्थाय महदद्भुतदर्शनम्।मणिप्रवरशृङ्गाग्रस्सितासितमुखाकृतिः।।3.42.15।।

Transliteration

sa tu tadrūpam āsthāya mahad adbhutadarśanam |

maṇipravaraśṛṅgāgraḥ sitāsitamukhākṛtiḥ ||3.42.15||

Translation

તે અતિ વિશાળ અને અદ્ભુત દર્શનિય રૂપ ધારણ કરીને, શ્રેષ્ઠ મણિઓ જડિત શૃંગાગ્રવાળો અને શ્વેત-શ્યામ ચિતરાયેલા મુખાકારવાળો થયો.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• tat-rūpam: that form
• tat-rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya rūpam = that form)

• āsthāya: having assumed
• āsthāya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive): ‘having assumed/taken up’

• mahat: great/magnificent
• mahat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with adbhutadarśanam

• adbhuta-darśanam: wonderful to behold
• adbhuta-darśanam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (adbhutaṃ darśanam = wonderful in appearance) used predicatively of the form

• maṇi-pravara-śṛṅga-agraḥ: having horn-tips of choice gems
• maṇi-pravara-śṛṅga-agraḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + pravara (प्रातिपदिक) + śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘whose horn-tips are (set with) excellent gems’ (śṛṅgāgrāṇi maṇipravarāṇi yasya)

• sitā-sita-mukha-ākṛtiḥ: with a face dappled white and black
• sitā-sita-mukha-ākṛtiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sitā (प्रातिपदिक) + asita (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘whose face-form is white-and-black (dappled)’

Context

Maricha assumed the form of a wonderful and magnificent deer with his antlers studded with the most precious gems, his face dappled with luminous spots of white and black.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Mṛga (deer form)
• Maṇi (gems)

FAQs

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

A key Ramāyaṇa ethical insight: dazzling appearances can conceal harmful intent. Dharma calls for discernment (viveka) rather than being ruled by sensory attraction.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrative details the crafted beauty of the deer-form used to captivate attention and trigger pursuit.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment and restraint are implied virtues—resisting fascination with outward splendor when it may conflict with duty and safety.