Shloka 5
मारीचप्रलोभनम् / Ravana Solicits Maricha’s Aid
Golden Deer Stratagem
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्।शूराणां लब्धलक्षाणां खरचित्तानुवर्तिनाम्।।।।
caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām | śūrāṇāṃ labdhalakṣāṇāṃ kharacittānuvartinām ||
ഭീകരകർമ്മങ്ങളുള്ള പതിനാലായിരം രാക്ഷസർ—ധീരന്മാർ, ലക്ഷ്യം തെറ്റാത്തവർ—ഖരന്റെ മനസ്സിന്റെയും ഇച്ഛയുടെയും പിന്നാലെ നടന്നവരായിരുന്നു.
These fourteen thousand heroes, perpetrators of terrible deeds, skilled in hitting the targets had been acting according to the direction of Khara.
FAQs
The verse highlights how power used in service of an unrighteous leader becomes a vehicle of adharma; blind alignment with Khara’s will frames their violence as morally corrupted.
The narrative describes the composition and character of Khara’s large rākṣasa force in the Janasthāna conflict context.
By contrast (implicitly), righteous discernment is emphasized: strength and skill (labdhalakṣa) are not virtues unless guided by dharma.