Shloka 28

अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः — मारीचोपदेशः

Maricha’s Warning and the Memory of Rama’s Power

Devanagari script

हृतदारान् सदारांश्च दश विद्रवतो दिशः।हतशेषानशरणान्द्रक्ष्यसि त्वं निशाचरान्।।3.38.28।।

Transliteration

hṛtadārān sadārāṃś ca daśa vidravato diśaḥ | hataśeṣān aśaraṇān drakṣyasi tvaṃ niśācarān || 3.38.28 ||

Translation

ചിലരുടെ ഭാര്യമാർ അപഹരിക്കപ്പെട്ടവരും, ചിലർ ഭാര്യമാരോടുകൂടെ ദിക്കുകളിലേക്ക് ഓടിപ്പോകുന്നവരുമായ—ശേഷിച്ചവർ വധശേഷരായി, ആശ്രയമില്ലാതെ പത്തു ദിക്കുകളിലേക്കു ചിതറുന്ന നിശാചരന്മാരെ നീ കാണും.

Word by Word

• hṛta-dārān: with wives abducted
• hṛta-dārān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + dāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'whose wives have been taken away'; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'niśācarān'

• sa-dārān: (those) with wives
• sa-dārān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + dāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'together with wives/with wives'; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'niśācarān'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्द; here used as adjective; (f.) 'diśaḥ' qualifies; प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन sense

• vidravataḥ: of those fleeing
• vidravataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-dru (धातु) + vidravat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'of (them) running away' (genitive with diśaḥ: 'towards directions of fleeing')

• diśaḥ: directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (goal/destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; direction(s) as goal

• hata-śeṣān: survivors (left after slaughter)
• hata-śeṣān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'those remaining after being slain' (survivors); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'niśācarān'

• aśaraṇān: helpless/without refuge
• aśaraṇān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-समास/negated adjective; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; adjective qualifying 'niśācarān'

• drakṣyasi: you will see
• drakṣyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• niśācarān: night-roamers (demons)
• niśācarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

Context

You will see the rest of the demons with their wives gone or fleeing in all directions helplessly with none to take care of them.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• niśācara (rākṣasas)

FAQs

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

Adharma—especially violence and violation of others’ households—ends in social collapse and loss of protection; wrongdoing makes one ‘aśaraṇa’ (without refuge).

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca warns Rāvaṇa that if he persists in his plan against Sītā, the rākṣasas will be devastated and will flee in panic in every direction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudent counsel and foresight (nīti): Mārīca speaks as a well-wisher, predicting the inevitable fallout of unjust action.