Shloka 20

Devanagari script

इमानपि वधिष्यामि निर्घृणान् दुष्टचारिण:।राक्षसान् पापकर्मस्थान् यज्ञघ्नान् रुधिराशनान्।।।।

Transliteration

imān api vadhiṣyāmi nirghṛṇān duṣṭacāriṇaḥ | rākṣasān pāpakarmasthān yajñaghnān rudhirāśanān ||

Translation

«រាក្សសទាំងនេះផងដែរ ខ្ញុំនឹងសម្លាប់—អ្នកគ្មានមេត្តា ប្រព្រឹត្តអាក្រក់ ជាប់ជានិច្ចក្នុងកម្មបាប; អ្នកបំផ្លាញយជ្ញៈ អ្នកស៊ីឈាម»។

Word by Word

• imān: these
• imān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Sambhāvanā/samuccaya-nipāta (particle: also/even)

• vadhiṣyāmi: I will slay
• vadhiṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्, periphrastic future), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• nirghṛṇān: merciless
• nirghṛṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirghṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; qualifying rākṣasān

• duṣṭacāriṇaḥ: of wicked conduct
• duṣṭacāriṇaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa + cārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa = duṣṭaṃ caranti; Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana (form duṣṭacāriṇaḥ used for accusative plural in -in stems)

• rākṣasān: rākṣasas
• rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• pāpakarmasthān: engaged in sinful deeds
• pāpakarmasthān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + karma + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa (multi-member) = pāpe karmaṇi sthitāḥ; Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; qualifying rākṣasān

• yajñaghnān: sacrifice-destroyers
• yajñaghnān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yajña + ghnā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa = yajñaṃ ghnanti; Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

• rudhirāśanān: blood-eaters
• rudhirāśanān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudhira + āśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: Tatpuruṣa = rudhiraṃ aśnanti; Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

Context

"I shall slay these merciless, wicked doors of sinful acts destroyers of sacrifices and blood rakshasas".

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• rākṣasas
• yajña (sacrifice)

FAQs

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

Dharma sometimes mandates firm punishment against persistent, cruel violators of sacred and social order—especially those who attack yajña, a pillar of communal welfare.

What is the narrative situation?

After demonstrating the Mānava weapon’s restraint on Mārīca, Rāma declares his readiness to kill the remaining rākṣasas who continue to destroy the sacrifice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Righteous severity: Rāma’s resolve shows moral courage to confront entrenched evil for the sake of protecting dharma.