Shloka 30

अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः — मारीचोपदेशः

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

Devanagari script

परदाराभिमर्शात्तु नान्यत्पापतरं महत्।प्रमदानां सहस्रं च तव राजन्परिग्रहः।।3.38.30।।

Transliteration

paradārābhimarśāt tu nānyat pāpataraṃ mahat | pramadānāṃ sahasraṃ ca tava rājan parigrahaḥ || 3.38.30 ||

Translation

ഹേ രാജാവേ, പരസ്ത്രീയെ സ്പർശിച്ചു അപമാനിക്കുന്നതിനെക്കാൾ ഭയങ്കരമായ മഹാപാപം മറ്റൊന്നുമില്ല; അതും നിന്റെ അന്തഃപുരത്തിൽ ആയിരം സ്ത്രീകൾ ഇതിനകം ഉള്ളപ്പോൾ.

Word by Word

• para-dāra-abhimarśāt: than violating others' wives
• para-dāra-abhimarśāt: Apādāna (अपादान) (standard in comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + dāra (प्रातिपदिक) + abhimarśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: 'touching/violating others' wives'; पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ablative of comparison/source ('than')

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• anyat: anything else
• anyat: Karta (कर्ता) (nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate subject with 'na'

• pāpataraṃ: more sinful
• pāpataraṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; comparative degree (तरप्) qualifying 'anyat'

• mahat: great/very
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjective reinforcing 'pāpataraṃ'

• pramadānām: of women
• pramadānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; subject in nominal clause

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

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• parigrahaḥ: possession/keeping (as wives)
• parigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (nominal predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate noun: 'is your possession/keeping'

Context

Hence the great sage, righteous Visvamitra afraid of me, went to king Dasaratha and said:

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Respect for marital boundaries (paradāra-avarjana) is a central dharmic restraint; violating it is portrayed as among the gravest sins.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca rebukes Rāvaṇa’s intention toward Sītā, arguing that such an act is morally worst and irrational given his own vast harem.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity and restraint: the verse upholds self-control over predatory desire.