Shloka 16

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

Sarga 29: Rama’s Admonition to Khara and the Shattering of the Mace

Devanagari script

प्राकृतान्राक्षसान्हत्वा युद्धे दशरथात्मज।आत्मना कथमात्मानमप्रशस्यं प्रशंससि।।।।

Transliteration

prākṛtān rākṣasān hatvā yuddhe daśarathātmaja | ātmanā katham ātmānam apraśasyaṃ praśaṃsasi ||

Translation

ഹേ ദശരഥാത്മജാ! യുദ്ധത്തിൽ സാധാരണ രാക്ഷസന്മാരെ വധിച്ചിട്ട്, പ്രശംസയ്ക്ക് അയോഗ്യമായ നിന്നെ നീ എന്തിന് സ്വയം പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നു?

Word by Word

• prākṛtān: ordinary
• prākṛtān: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; rākṣasān-विशेषणम्

• rākṣasān: demons
• rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• hatvā: having killed
• hatvā: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having killed'

• yuddhe: in battle
• yuddhe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• daśarathātmaja: O son of Dasaratha
• daśarathātmaja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha-ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (daśarathasya ātmajaḥ = 'son of Daśaratha')

• ātmanā: by yourself
• ātmanā: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• katham: how/why
• katham: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: how/why)

• ātmānam: yourself
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• apraśasyam: not praiseworthy
• apraśasyam: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-praśasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ātmānam-विशेषणम् ('not praiseworthy')

• praśaṅsasi: you praise
• praśaṅsasi: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-śaṃs (शंस् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Context

O son of Dasaratha, it is not praiseworthy to kill ordinary demons in war. Why do you praise yourself for it?

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Rama
• Daśaratha
• rākṣasa (demons)

FAQs

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

A social ethic of humility is invoked (even if hypocritically): true merit does not require self-praise.

What is the narrative situation?

Khara responds to Rama’s challenge by attempting to shame him for self-assertion before the duel continues.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility (amānitva) is named as a virtue—though spoken here by an antagonist as a taunt.