Shloka 4

Devanagari script

राक्षसा ऊचु: आक्रीडो<यं कुबेरस्य दयित: पुरुषर्षभ । नेह शक्‍यं मनुष्येण विहर्तु मर्त्यधर्मणा,राक्षसोंने कहा--नरश्रेष्ठ. यह सरोवर कुबेरकी परम प्रिय क्रीड़ास्थली है। इसमें मरणधर्मा मनुष्य विहार नहीं कर सकता

Transliteration

rākṣasā ūcuḥ—ākrīḍo ’yaṃ kuberasya dayitaḥ puruṣarṣabha | neha śakyaṃ manuṣyeṇa vihartuṃ martyadharmaṇā ||

Translation

The rākṣasas said: “O bull among men, this is Kubera’s beloved pleasure-ground. Here a mortal human—bound to the law of death—cannot sport or take recreation.”

Word by Word

राक्षसाःthe Rakshasas

ऊचुःsaid

आक्रीडःplayground / sporting-place

अयम्this

कुबेरस्यof Kubera

दयितःbeloved / dear

पुरुषर्षभO bull among men (best of men)

नnot

इहhere

शक्यम्possible

मनुष्येणby a human

विहर्तुम्to sport / to play / to enjoy oneself

मर्त्यधर्मणाhaving the nature of a mortal (subject to death)

Speaker

भीम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Rākṣasas

Kubera

Ākrīḍa (Kubera’s pleasure-ground)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical idea of respecting boundaries: certain realms and privileges belong to divine custodians, and mortals—defined by martyadharma, the condition of mortality—should not presume unrestricted access. It highlights humility before cosmic order and the limits of human entitlement.

What is happening in the narrative?

The rākṣasas address Bhīma, warning him that the place (a recreation-ground associated with Kubera) is not meant for mortal humans to enjoy. It functions as a protective prohibition, setting up a confrontation between human desire/need and guarded divine territory.