Shloka 11

दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

राक्षसैर्दण्डकारण्ये बहुभिः कामरूपिभिः।अर्दितास्स्म दृढं राम भवान्नस्तत्र रक्षतु।।।।

Transliteration

rākṣasair daṇḍakāraṇye bahubhiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ | arditāḥ sma dṛḍhaṃ rāma bhavān nas tatra rakṣatu ||

Translation

“ಹೇ ರಾಮ! ದಂಡಕಾರಣ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಚ್ಛೆಯಂತೆ ರೂಪ ಧರಿಸುವ ಅನೇಕ ರಾಕ್ಷಸರು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಭಾರಿಯಾಗಿ ಪೀಡಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ; ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನೀನು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸು.”

Word by Word

• राक्षसैः: by demons
• राक्षसैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दण्डकारण्ये: in the Dandaka forest
• दण्डकारण्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डकारण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; समासः दण्डक + अरण्य (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'दण्डकानां अरण्यम्')

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (राक्षसैः)

• कामरूपिभिः: by shape-shifters (assuming forms at will)
• कामरूपिभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामरूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः काम + रूपिन् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: 'कामं रूपं यस्य/यः')

• अर्दिताः: (we) are tormented
• अर्दिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्द् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (वयम्) इति कर्तरि प्रयोगः—'we (are) tormented'

• स्म: indeed / (emphatic particle)
• स्म: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (particle), वाक्ये स्मरण/प्रत्ययार्थ-समर्थकः

• दृढम्: strongly, severely
• दृढम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• राम: O Rama
• राम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• भवान्: you (honored sir)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोगः (honorific 'you')

• नः: of us / for us
• नः: Sampradāna/Beneficiary (सम्प्रदान-अर्थे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; एन्क्लिटिक-रूपम्

• तत्र: there / in that situation
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• रक्षतु: may (he/you) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Context

'O Rama, the demons who can assume any form at their will are mercilessly tormenting us in Dandaka forest. Do protect us from them'.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daṇḍakāraṇya (Dandaka forest)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

The verse invokes kṣatriya-dharma: the ruler/warrior must protect those devoted to spiritual practice who are harmed by violence and deceit.

What is the narrative situation?

The forest sages present their complaint: rākṣasas in Daṇḍaka harass them, and they appeal to Rāma for protection.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The sages’ truthfulness and dependence on righteous governance, and implicitly Rāma’s role as protector of dharma.