Shloka 27

मायामृगप्रकरणम्

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

Devanagari script

मृगयूथैरनुगतः पुनरेव निवर्तते।सीतादर्शनमाकांक्षन्राक्षसो मृगतां गतः।।3.42.27।।परिभ्रमति चित्राणि मण्डलानि विनिष्पतन्।

Transliteration

mṛgayūthair anugataḥ punar eva nivartate |

sītādarśanam ākāṅkṣan rākṣaso mṛgatāṃ gataḥ || 3.42.27 ||

paribhramati citrāṇi maṇḍalāni viniṣpatan |

Translation

鹿の群れに従われて、彼は幾度も戻ってきた。鹿の姿を取ったラークシャサは、シーターに見られんことを切に願い、跳ね回っては妙なる円を描いて旋回した。

Word by Word

• mṛgayūthaiḥ: by/with herds of deer
• mṛgayūthaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga + yūtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (mṛgāṇāṃ yūthaiḥ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• anugataḥ: followed
• anugataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘followed/attended’

• punar: again
• punar: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (again)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (indeed)

• nivartate: returns
• nivartate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• sītādarśanam: seeing Sita
• sītādarśanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sītāyāḥ darśanam), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ākāṅkṣan: desiring
• ākāṅkṣan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-kāṅkṣ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘desiring’

• rākṣasaḥ: the demon
• rākṣasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mṛgatām: the form/state of a deer
• mṛgatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛgatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘deer-nature/state’

• gataḥ: having assumed/gone into
• gataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘gone/assumed’

• paribhramati: wanders/turns about
• paribhramati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-bhram (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• citrāṇi: wonderful/variegated
• citrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying maṇḍalāni)

• maṇḍalāni: circles/rounds
• maṇḍalāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• viniṣpatan: leaping/prancing
• viniṣpatan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-niṣ-pat (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘leaping forth/prancing’

Context

Followed by herds of deer and coming back to see Sita again and again, the deer cavorted and pranced and frisked in circles in a wonderful way.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• rākṣasa
• Mārīca

FAQs

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

The verse shows adharma exploiting desire and attention; dharma is strengthened by controlling what we ‘seek to see’ and recognizing when attention is being deliberately hijacked.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca repeatedly returns, blending with deer herds and performing captivating movements so Sītā will notice him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Inner discipline (saṃyama): mastery over curiosity and attraction that can lead one away from safety and duty.