Shloka 9

विराधप्रश्नोत्तर-युद्धम्

Viradha’s Challenge and the Clash in Dandaka

Devanagari script

तं रामः प्रत्युवाचेदं कोपसंरक्तलोचनः।राक्षसं विकृताकारं विराधं पापचेतसम्।।3.3.9।।

Transliteration

taṃ rāmaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ kopasaṃraktalocanaḥ | rākṣasaṃ vikṛtākāraṃ virādhaṃ pāpacetasam || 3.3.9 ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ കോപത്താൽ ചുവന്ന കണ്ണുകളോടെ ശ്രീരാമൻ, വികൃതാകാരനും പാപചിത്തനുമായ ആ രാക്ഷസൻ വിരാധനോട് ഇങ്ങനെ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• pratyuvāca: replied
• pratyuvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; used as object 'this (speech)'

• kopa-saṃrakta-locanaḥ: whose eyes were reddened with anger
• kopa-saṃrakta-locanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃrakta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि) compound; Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifying rāmaḥ

• rākṣasam: the demon
• rākṣasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; apposition to virādham

• vikṛta-ākāram: of deformed form
• vikṛta-ākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikṛta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifying rākṣasam/virādham

• virādham: Viradha
• virādham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• pāpa-cetasam: sinful-minded
• pāpa-cetasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifying virādham

Context

With eyes reddened with anger Rama replied to the sinful, deformed Viradha:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Virādha

FAQs

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

The verse frames anger as ethically purposeful when directed against adharma: Rāma’s wrath is not personal cruelty but a protective response to evil intent.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration introduces Rāma’s reply to Virādha, emphasizing Rāma’s controlled but intense anger in the face of a rākṣasa threat.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral vigilance: Rāma’s readiness to confront wrongdoing while remaining oriented toward protection and justice.