Shloka 13

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

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Devanagari script

शरेण मुक्तो रामस्य कथञ्चित्प्राप्य जीवितम्।इह प्रव्राजितो युक्तस्तापसोऽहं समाहितः।।।।

Transliteration

śareṇa mukto rāmasya kathañcit prāpya jīvitam | iha pravrājito yuktaḥ tāpaso ’haṁ samāhitaḥ ||

Translation

രാമന്റെ ബാണങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് എങ്ങനെയോ ഒഴിഞ്ഞു ജീവൻ വീണ്ടെടുത്തു; അതിനാൽ ഇവിടെ ഞാൻ പ്രവ്രജിതനായി—തപസ്വി, സംയമനിഷ്ഠൻ, സമാധാനചിത്തൻ ആയി കഴിയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• vṛkṣe: on/in a tree
• vṛkṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (Locative), Ekavacana

• vṛkṣe: in each tree
• vṛkṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; repetition indicates distributive sense

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• paśyāmi: I see
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Uttama puruṣa (1st person), Ekavacana

• cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram: clad in bark and deerskin
• cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'rāmaṃ'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cīra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛṣṇājina (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: cīraṃ ca kṛṣṇājinaṃ ca ambaraṃ yasya (wearing bark and black-deerskin as garment)

• gṛhītadhanuṣam: holding the bow
• gṛhītadhanuṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'rāmaṃ'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛhīta (PPP from √grah) + dhanuṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: gṛhītaṃ dhanuḥ yena (holding a bow)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'paśyāmi')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• pāśahastam: with a noose in hand
• pāśahastam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'antakam' (upamāna)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: pāśaḥ haste yasya (with a noose in hand)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा) marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमावाचक-अव्यय)

• antakam: Death (Yama)
• antakam: Upamāna (उपमान) (object in comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

Context

With my escape from Rama's darts I somehow got a fresh lease of life. Now I am composed. I have started living the life of a recluse here. I have turned an ascetic.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• arrows (śara)
• tāpasa (ascetic/renunciate)

FAQs

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

Dharma allows reform: surviving the consequences of wrongdoing can become the basis for repentance, restraint, and a disciplined life.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker says he escaped death by Rāma’s arrows and has since adopted an ascetic, composed mode of life.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint and repentance (saṁyama): turning away from violence toward disciplined living.