Shloka 12

Virādha-saṃvādaḥ — Encounter with Virādha in the Daṇḍakāraṇya

Aranya Kanda, Sarga 2

Devanagari script

अहं वनमिदं दुर्गं विराधो नाम राक्षसः।चरामि सायुधो नित्यमृषिमांसानि भक्षयन्।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ vanam idaṃ durgaṃ virādho nāma rākṣasaḥ | carāmi sāyudho nityam ṛṣi-māṃsāni bhakṣayan ||

Translation

ഞാൻ വിരാധൻ എന്ന രാക്ഷസൻ; ഈ ദുർഗ്ഗമമായ ഘനവനത്തിൽ എപ്പോഴും ആയുധധാരിയായി സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, ഋഷിമാംസം ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (1st person)

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: कर्म/अधिकरण (Range/area traversed; object-like)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (demonstrative)

• दुर्गम्: inaccessible/dense
• दुर्गम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• विराधः: Virādha
• विराधः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition to ‘अहम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: सम्बन्ध (Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-अव्ययम् (indeclinable meaning ‘by name’)

• राक्षसः: a demon
• राक्षसः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• चरामि: I roam
• चरामि: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तम-पुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• स-आयुधः: armed
• स-आयुधः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘अहम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः (आयुधैः सह)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: काल-अधिकरण (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial accusative)

• ऋषि-मांसानि: flesh of sages
• ऋषि-मांसानि: कर्म (Karma/Object of eating)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ऋषीणां मांसानि)

• भक्षयन्: eating/devouring
• भक्षयन्: कर्ता (Kartā/Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

Context

I am a demon named Viradha. I move in this dense forest with my weapons eating the flesh of the sages.

Characters & Entities

• Virādha
• Rākṣasa
• ṛṣi (sages)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

The verse defines adharma plainly: predation upon sages and disruption of tapas. It establishes why the righteous must intervene to protect spiritual life.

What is the narrative situation?

Virādha identifies himself and openly confesses his violent way of life in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The need for protective righteousness—Rāma’s role as defender of ascetics is foregrounded by Virādha’s confession.