Shloka 18

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

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Devanagari script

अहं तस्य प्रभावज्ञो न युद्धं तेन ते क्षमम्।बलिं वा नमुचिं वापि हन्याद्धि रघुनन्दनः।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ tasya prabhāvajño na yuddhaṃ tena te kṣamam |

baliṃ vā namuciṃ vāpi hanyād dhi raghunandanaḥ ||

Translation

ഞാൻ അവന്റെ മഹിമയും പരാക്രമവും അറിയുന്നു; അവനോടു യുദ്ധം ചെയ്യുന്നത് നിനക്കു യോജിച്ചതല്ല। രഘുനന്ദനായ രാമൻ ബലി അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നമുചി പോലെയുള്ള മഹാബലന്മാരെയും തീർച്ചയായും സംഹരിക്കും।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive)

• प्रभावज्ञः: knower of (his) power
• प्रभावज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: प्रभावस्य ज्ञः); पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)

• तेन: with him
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental)

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative)

• क्षमम्: proper, fitting
• क्षमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc) — विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• बलिम्: Bali
• बलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• नमुचिम्: Namuci
• नमुचिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (also/even)

• हन्यात्: could slay
• हन्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपदम्; तृतीयपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन (singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/for)

• रघुनन्दनः: Raghu's delight (Rama)
• रघुनन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: रघोः नन्दनः); पुंलिङ्ग; एकवचन; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

Context

I know his power.It is not proper to wage a war with him. Rama, delight of the Raghu dynasty, can slay even Bali or Namuchi.

Characters & Entities

• Marīca
• Rāma (Raghunandana)
• Rāvaṇa
• Bali
• Namuci

FAQs

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

Dharma includes wise restraint: knowing strength and limits, one should not choose a destructive conflict driven by ego. Ethical action aligns intention with reality and avoids unjust aggression.

What is the narrative situation?

Marīca advises Rāvaṇa against confronting Rāma, emphasizing Rāma’s extraordinary capacity by comparing him to mythic-slaying prowess.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): Marīca evaluates consequences and advocates a course consistent with safety and truth.