Shloka 14

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

Fear

Devanagari script

वृक्षे वृक्षे च पश्यामि चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्।गृहीतधनुषं रामं पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्।।।।

Transliteration

vṛkṣe vṛkṣe ca paśyāmi cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram | gṛhītadhanuṣaṁ rāmaṁ pāśahastam ivāntakam ||

Translation

മരംതോറും ഞാൻ രാമനെയേ കാണുന്നു—ചീരവസ്ത്രവും കൃഷ്ണാജിനവും ധരിച്ചു, കൈയിൽ ധനുസ്സെടുത്തു; പാശം കൈയിൽ പിടിച്ച അന്തകനായ മരണദേവനെപ്പോലെ।

Word by Word

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): even/also

• rāmasahasrāṇi: thousands of Ramas
• rāmasahasrāṇi: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'paśyāmi')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: rāmāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi (thousands of Ramas)

• bhītaḥ: frightened
• bhītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of speaker (implicit 'aham')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhī (भी धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'afraid'

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

• rāvaṇa: O Ravana
• rāvaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• rāmabhūtam: filled with Rama
• rāmabhūtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'araṇyam'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (PPP from √bhū)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: rāmaḥ iva bhūtaṃ / rāmarūpaṃ (become Rama-filled)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता) (with 'araṇyam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sarvam: entire
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used as adjective to 'araṇyam'

• araṇyam: forest
• araṇyam: Karta (कर्ता) (of 'pratibhāti')
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratibhāti: appears
• pratibhāti: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + √bhā (भा धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान) / Anubhāvaka (experiencer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī/Dative? here Caturthī (Dative/4th) Ekavacana enclitic; 'to me'

Context

I see Rama in every tree, clad in bark and deer-skin, wielding the bow, holding a noose in hand like the god of death.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• bow (dhanuṣ)
• Antaka (Death/Yama)
• pāśa (noose)

FAQs

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

Wrongdoing produces inner punishment: guilt and fear make the righteous protector appear everywhere, urging the wrongdoer to desist.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker describes a haunted perception—seeing Rāma in every tree as an inescapable executioner of justice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s awe-inspiring justice: the protector becomes ‘Death’ to those committed to adharma.