Shloka 64

Sarga 93: Rāvaṇa’s Grief and Fury after Indrajit’s Fall; Move to Slay Vaidehī and Ministerial Restraint

Devanagari script

वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातःस्वकर्मनिरतस्तथा ।।।।स्त्रियःकस्माद्वधंवीरमन्यसेराक्षसेश्वर ।

Transliteration

vedavidyāvratasnātaḥ svakarmaniratas tathā |

striyaḥ kasmād vadhaṃ vīra manyase rākṣaseśvara || 6.93.64 ||

Translation

ವೇದವಿದ್ಯೆ ಹಾಗೂ ವ್ರತಾನುಷ್ಠಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ನಾತನಾಗಿ, ಸ್ವಕರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರತನಾಗಿರುವ ನೀನು—ಹೇ ವೀರ, ರಾಕ್ಷಸೇಶ್ವರ—ಸ್ತ್ರೀಯ ವಧವನ್ನು ಏಕೆ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇಡುತ್ತೀಯ?

Word by Word

• maithilīm: Maithilī (Sītā)
• maithilīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rūpasampannām: endowed with beauty
• rūpasampannām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa + sampanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (रूपेण सम्पन्ना); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘maithilīm’ इति विशेषण

• pratyavekṣasva: consider
• pratyavekṣasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + ava + īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; ‘consider/reflect upon’

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• tasmin: in that
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; ‘in that (matter/person)’

• eva: only
• eva: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थ-अव्यय (emphasis ‘only/just’)

• saha: with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-उपपद (preposition ‘with’), तृतीया-सम्बन्ध

• asmābhiḥ: with us
• asmābhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• āhave: in battle
• āhave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• utsṛja: abandon
• utsṛja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud + sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘cast off/abandon’

Context

"O Hero! Lord of Rakshasas! You made a vow of celibacy essential for Vedic study, so also engaged in your obligatory duties. Do you think of killing a woman?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• Veda
• Dharma (svakarma)

FAQs

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

Learning and ritual discipline are hollow without ethical conduct; dharma forbids violence against the vulnerable, including women.

What is the narrative situation?

Suparśva appeals to Rāvaṇa’s claimed learning and duty to dissuade him from murdering Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Consistency between knowledge (vidyā) and conduct (ācāra): true nobility shows as protection, not cruelty.