Shloka 12

मारीचप्रलोभनम् / Ravana Solicits Maricha’s Aid

Golden Deer Stratagem

Devanagari script

येन वैरं विनाऽरण्ये सत्वमाश्रित्य केवलम्।।।।कर्णनासापहरणाद्भगिनी मे विरूपिता।तस्यभार्यां जनस्थानात्सीतां सुरसुतोपमाम्।।।आनयिष्यामि विक्रम्य सहायस्तत्र मे भव।

Transliteration

yena vairaṁ vinā 'raṇye sattvam āśritya kevalam | karṇa-nāsāpaharaṇād bhaginī me virūpitā || 3.36.12 ||

Translation

വൈരം ഒന്നുമില്ലാതെ, വനത്തിൽ വെറും സ്വന്തം ബലത്തിൽ ആശ്രയിച്ച്, കാതും മൂക്കും മുറിച്ച് എന്റെ സഹോദരിയെ വികൃതയാക്കി.

Word by Word

• येन: by whom
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वैरम्: enmity
• वैरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय/पूर्वपद (preposition), 'without' अर्थे; द्वितीया-संबन्ध

• अरण्ये: in the forest
• अरण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्त्वम्: strength / courage
• सत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रित्य: having relied on
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√श्रि (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), 'having resorted to/depending on'

• केवलम्: only / merely
• केवलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• कर्ण-नासा-अपहरणात्: from the cutting off of ears and nose
• कर्ण-नासा-अपहरणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + नासा (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्राय: कर्णनासयोः अपहरणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन

• भगिनी: sister
• भगिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विरूपिता: disfigured
• विरूपिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√रूप्/रूप (धातु/प्रातिपदिक) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (भगिनी) विशेषण

Context

With no enmity whatsoever, merely because he has strength, he cut off the nose and ears of my sister and mutilated her. His wife Sita is like the daughter of heaven. I would like to abduct her with force from Janasthana for which you should be my accomplice.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca
• Śūrpaṇakhā (implied by 'my sister')
• Lakṣmaṇa (agent of mutilation in the narrative context)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how personal grievance can be used to justify adharma; dharma requires proportionate, righteous response rather than escalating harm through vengeance.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa cites Śūrpaṇakhā’s mutilation as the provocation, building a case to enlist Mārīca in retaliatory action.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is restraint and justice; Rāvaṇa instead emphasizes retaliatory anger, showing the vice of vengeance.