Shloka 30

विराधवधः

The Slaying (Burial) of Viradha

Devanagari script

स्वयं विराधेन हि मृत्युरात्मनः प्रसह्य रामेण यथार्थमीप्सितः।निवेदितः काननचारिणा स्वयं न मे वधः शस्त्रकृतो भवेदिति।।।।

Transliteration

svayaṃ virādhena hi mṛtyur ātmanaḥ prasahya rāmeṇa yathārtham īpsitaḥ | niveditaḥ kānana-cāriṇā svayaṃ na me vadhaḥ śastra-kṛto bhaved iti ||

Translation

ಅರಣ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಚರಿಸುವ ವಿರಾಧನೇ ಸ್ವತಃ ಸತ್ಯವನ್ನು ತಿಳಿಸಿದನು: ರಾಮನು ಬಲಪ್ರಯೋಗದಿಂದ ನನ್ನ ಮರಣವನ್ನು ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಬಯಸಿದನು; ಆದರೆ ‘ಶಸ್ತ್ರಗಳಿಂದ ನನ್ನ ವಧ ಸಾಧ್ಯವಲ್ಲ’ ಎಂದು।

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता (agent, emphatic: 'himself')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• विराधेन: by Virādha
• विराधेन: कर्ता (agent; 'by Virādha')
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—निपातः (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (nominative singular)

• आत्मनः: of himself (of his own)
• आत्मनः: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation: 'of himself/of me')
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (genitive singular)

• प्रसह्य: forcibly
• प्रसह्य: क्रियाविशेषण (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + सह् (धातु) → प्रसह्य (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); अर्थः—बलात् (having forced/forcibly)

• रामेण: by Rāma
• रामेण: करण (instrument/agent in passive sense: 'by Rama')
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• यथार्थम्: truly; as is proper
• यथार्थम्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner/qualification)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) → यथार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: 'truly/as is right')

• ईप्सितः: desired; wished for
• ईप्सितः: विशेषण (qualifies 'मृत्युः')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप् (धातु) → ईप्सित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• निवेदितः: was declared/reported
• निवेदितः: क्रिया (passive predicate: 'was declared')
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु) → निवेदित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे 'was reported/declared'

• काननचारिणा: by the forest-roamer
• काननचारिणा: कर्ता/करण (agent: 'by the forest-roamer')
• Type: Noun
• Root: कानन + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कानने चरति इति); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: कर्ता (agent, emphatic: 'himself')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb; repetition for emphasis)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• मे: my; for me
• मे: सम्बन्ध (genitive: 'my/for me')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (genitive singular enclitic)

• वधः: killing; slaying
• वधः: कर्ता (subject of 'भवेत्': 'killing')
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (nominative singular)

• शस्त्रकृतः: done by weapons; weapon-made
• शस्त्रकृतः: विशेषण (qualifies 'वधः')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त्र + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शस्त्रेण कृतः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (nominative singular; agrees with 'वधः')

• भवेत्: would be; should be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (predicate: 'would be/should be')
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरण (quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारः—उद्धरण-निपातः (quotative particle)

Context

Lakshmana quickly broke the left and Rama the right shoulder of that dreadful demon.

Characters & Entities

• Virādha
• Rāma
• forest (kānana)
• weapons (śastra)

FAQs

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

Satya (truth) as guidance: correct action depends on knowing the truth of a situation; dharmic victory requires the appropriate means, not mere intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Virādha discloses that weapons cannot kill him, prompting Rāma to adopt another method (burying/entombing).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to truth and strategic wisdom—learning the real condition before completing the task.