Shloka 39

सीतारावणसंवादः

Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma

Devanagari script

क्षुधितस्य हि सिंहस्य मृगशत्रोस्तरस्विनः।आशीविषस्य मुखाद्दंष्ट्रामादातुमिच्छसि।।3.47.39।।

Transliteration

kṣudhitasya hi siṁhasya mṛgaśatror tarasvinaḥ | āśīviṣasya mukhād daṁṣṭrām ādātum icchasi || 3.47.39 ||

Translation

飢えた猛き獅子――鹿の仇たる強者――の口から牙を引き抜こうとするのか。さらに毒蛇の口からも、その牙をもぎ取ろうというのか。

Word by Word

• kṣudhitasya: of a hungry
• kṣudhitasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudhita (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṣudh)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; past participle sense 'hungry' qualifying siṃhasya

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic/causal particle (निपात)

• siṃhasya: of a lion
• siṃhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• mṛga-śatroḥ: of the enemy of deer
• mṛga-śatroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + śatru (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: mṛgāṇāṃ śatruḥ (enemy of deer)

• tarasvinaḥ: of the powerful
• tarasvinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tarasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; qualifies siṃhasya

• āśīviṣasya: of a venomous snake
• āśīviṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• mukhāt: from the mouth
• mukhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; ablative 'from'

• daṃṣṭrām: the fang/tooth
• daṃṣṭrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ādātum: to seize
• ādātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-infinitive (तुमुन्) with upasarga ā- = to take away/seize

• icchasi: you wish
• icchasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

Context

You are seeking to pull the teeth from the mouth of a hungry and powerful lion who is considered the enemy of the deer(which you are). You intend to pull the fang of a poisonous snake.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• siṁha (lion)
• āśīviṣa (venomous snake)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes restraint and right judgment: pursuing another’s wife and provoking the righteous is self-destructive, like handling lethal danger knowingly.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca cautions Rāvaṇa against his plan to take Sītā, warning that it invites certain catastrophe.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudent counsel (nīti) and moral clarity—Mārīca highlights foresight and the duty to restrain adharma-driven ambition.