Shloka 12

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Aranyakanda 39): राक्षसस्य रामत्रासवर्णनम् / The Demon’s Account of Rama

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Devanagari script

पराक्रमज्ञो रामस्य शठो दृष्टभयः पुरा।समुद्भान्तस्ततोमुक्तस्तावुभौ राक्षसौ हतौ।।।।

Transliteration

parākramajño rāmasya śaṭho dṛṣṭabhayaḥ purā | samudbhrāntas tato muktas tāv ubhau rākṣasau hatau ||

Translation

രാമന്റെ പരാക്രമം മുൻപേ അറിഞ്ഞവനും ആ ഭയം കണ്ടവനുമായ ഞാൻ—ശഠനായിരുന്നിട്ടും—കുഴഞ്ഞോടി രക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു; എന്നാൽ ആ രണ്ടു രാക്ഷസന്മാർ കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• śareṇa: by an arrow
• śareṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental), Ekavacana

• muktaḥ: escaped
• muktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'aham'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √muc (मुच् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'released/escaped'

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana

• kathañcit: somehow
• kathañcit: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcit (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (रीतिवाचक-अव्यय)

• prāpya: having obtained
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त): 'having obtained'

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'prāpya')
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• pravrājitaḥ: become a recluse
• pravrājitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'aham'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra + √vraj (व्रज् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'gone forth as a renunciant'

• yuktaḥ: engaged
• yuktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'aham'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √yuj (युज् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'engaged/intent'

• tāpasaḥ: an ascetic
• tāpasaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana

• samāhitaḥ: composed
• samāhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'aham'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + ā + √dhā (धा धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'composed/collected'

Context

Having known Rama's prowess earlier and experienced tremendous fear, I ran away in a bewildered state as I was deceitful. The other two demons (who had accompanied me) succumbed.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Adharma collapses under truth and strength: deceit and aggression lead to destruction, while recognition of reality can avert further ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker confesses he escaped in panic, while his two companions were killed by Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, Rāma’s formidable righteous power; explicitly, the speaker’s hard-earned honesty about fear and loss.