Shloka 8

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः।घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्।।।।

Transliteration

avaśyaṃ labhate jantuḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ |

ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumāḥ puṣpam ivārtavam ||

Translation

ജീവി പാപകർമ്മത്തിന്റെ ഫലം നിർബന്ധമായും പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു; യോജ്യകാലം വന്നെത്തുമ്പോൾ അതു ഭയങ്കരമായിട്ടും പ്രത്യക്ഷമാകും—ഋതുവിൽ വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ പൂക്കുന്നതുപോലെ.

Word by Word

• avaśyam: certainly
• avaśyam: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: certainly/inevitably)

• labhate: obtains
• labhate: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• jantuḥ: a creature/person
• jantuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• phalam: fruit, result
• phalam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pāpasya: of sin
• pāpasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• karmaṇaḥ: of the deed
• karmaṇaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; pāpasya karmaṇaḥ = 'of sinful action/deed'

• ghoram: terrible
• ghoram: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying phalam)

• paryāgate: when (it) has come
• paryāgate: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-ā-gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/क्तवत्-प्रायः), सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण (locative absolute sense) नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-सम्भव; अर्थः 'when (time) has arrived'

• kāle: in (the) time
• kāle: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; paryāgate kāle = 'when the time has come'

• drumāḥ: trees
• drumāḥ: Upamana (उपमान/example)
• Type: Noun
• Root: druma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; उपमेय/उपमान-प्रयोगे (trees as example)

• puṣpam: flower
• puṣpam: Karma (कर्म/object in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय

• ārtavam: seasonal, in due season
• ārtavam: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārtava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying puṣpam)

Context

Just as the trees bear flowers at the proper season, so also people will certainly reap the fruits of their terrible, sinful deeds at appropriate time.

Characters & Entities

• karma (action)
• phala (fruit/result)
• druma (tree)
• puṣpa (flower)

FAQs

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

The moral law of karma is presented as a truth (satya): actions inevitably mature into results, so dharma requires foreseeing consequences and choosing rightly.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker explains that punishment or consequence may be delayed but will arrive at its appointed time, like seasonal flowering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and accountability—living with awareness that every deed ripens into a corresponding outcome.