Shloka 2

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

गजाश्वरथसम्बाधे बले महति तिष्ठता।कृतं सुदारुणं कर्म सर्वलोकजुगुप्सितम्।।।।

Transliteration

gajāśvarathasambādhe bale mahati tiṣṭhatā | kṛtaṃ sudāruṇaṃ karma sarvalokajugupsitam ||

Translation

ആനകളും കുതിരകളും രഥങ്ങളും നിറഞ്ഞ മഹാസൈന്യത്തിന്റെ ആശ്രയത്തിൽ നീ നില്ക്കുന്നുവെങ്കിലും, നീ അത്യന്തം ക്രൂരമായ കർമ്മം ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നു; അതിനെ കണ്ടു സർവ്വലോകവും വെറുപ്പോടെ പിന്മാറുന്നു.

Word by Word

• गजाश्वरथसम्बाधे: in (a place/force) crowded with elephants, horses and chariots
• गजाश्वरथसम्बाधे: अधिकरण (Locative of place/condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्बाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (locative singular neuter); 'सम्बाध' = 'सम् + बाध' इत्यर्थे 'सङ्कुल/समाकीर्ण' (crowded/packed)

• बले: in the army/force
• बले: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (locative singular neuter)

• महति: great, vast
• महति: अधिकरण (agreeing adjective in locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-एकवचनम् (locative singular neuter); 'बले' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तिष्ठता: while (he) was standing
• तिष्ठता: कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध (Agent as participial qualifier; instrumental of attendant circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → तिष्ठत् (वर्तमानकृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययः); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम् (instrumental singular masculine) — 'तिष्ठत्' (standing) इत्यस्य; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• कृतम्: done, committed
• कृतम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Predicate/attribute of the deed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (भूतकृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular neuter); 'कर्म' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (done)

• सुदारुणम्: very cruel, exceedingly dreadful
• सुदारुणम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Attribute of the deed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय, उपसर्ग/उपपद) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular neuter); 'कर्म' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्; 'सु' = अत्यर्थे (very)

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: कर्म/विषय (Thing described; deed as subject of description)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular neuter)

• सर्वलोकजुगुप्सितम्: despised by the entire world
• सर्वलोकजुगुप्सितम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Attribute of the deed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + जुगुप्सित (प्रातिपदिक; √गुप्स्/गुप् 'to despise' → जुगुप्सित 'despised')
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (nominative singular neuter); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): 'सर्वलोकैः जुगुप्सितम्' (despised by all people/world)

Context

Although you command a huge army with many elephants, horses, chariots, etc. you have done such cruel deeds that the entire world despises you.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Khara
• gaja (elephants)
• aśva (horses)
• ratha (chariots)

FAQs

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

Power does not justify cruelty: dharma condemns violent acts even when backed by overwhelming force.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama rebukes Khara’s conduct, contrasting his military strength with the moral ugliness of his actions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity: Rama judges actions by righteousness rather than by might or numbers.