Shloka 12

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

Dharma of Refuge

Devanagari script

होमकालेषु सम्प्राप्ताः पर्वकालेषु चानघ।धर्षयन्ति सुदुर्धर्षा राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः।।।।

Transliteration

homakāleṣu samprāptāḥ parvakāleṣu cānagha | dharṣayanti sudurdharṣā rākṣasāḥ piśitāśanāḥ ||

Translation

“ഹേ അനഘാ! ഹോമസമയങ്ങളിലും പർവ്വദിനങ്ങളിലും, അത്യന്തം ദുർധർഷരായ മാംസഭോജി രാക്ഷസർ വന്ന് ഞങ്ങളെ അപമാനിച്ച് ആക്രമിക്കുന്നു.”

Word by Word

होमकालेषुat times of oblations

सम्प्राप्ताःhaving arrived / arriving

पर्वकालेषुat festival/observance times (parvan days)

चand

अनघO sinless one

धर्षयन्तिthey attack/assault

सुदुर्धर्षाःvery hard to resist, invincible

राक्षसाःdemons

पिशिताशनाःflesh-eaters

Context

'O sinless one, these cannibals are invincible. They arrive at the time of our sacrificial rituals, on the days of festivities or at the time of lunar conjunctions like no moon or full moon days and attack us.

Characters & Entities

Rāma

Rākṣasas

Homa (sacrificial rite)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes safeguarding sacred rites and communal religious life; attacks on yajña/homa are portrayed as attacks on the moral-spiritual order itself.

What is the narrative situation?

The sages specify the pattern of harassment: rākṣasas deliberately strike during rituals and observance days when ascetics are engaged in worship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The sages’ steadfastness in ritual duty despite fear, and the expectation of righteous protection for those maintaining sacred practices.