Shloka 3

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

Fear

Devanagari script

दीप्तजिह्वो महाकायस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो महाबलः।व्यचरं दण्डकारण्यं मांसभक्षो महामृगः।।।।

Transliteration

dīptajihvo mahākāyas tīkṣṇadaṃṣṭro mahābalaḥ |

vyacaraṃ daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ māṃsabhakṣo mahāmṛgaḥ ||

Translation

ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന നാവുള്ളവനും മഹാകായനും തീക്ഷ്ണദംഷ്ട്രയുള്ള മഹാബലവാനും ആയ ഞാൻ, മാംസഭക്ഷിയായ മഹാമൃഗമായി ദണ്ഡകാരണ്യത്തിൽ അലഞ്ഞുനടന്നു.

Word by Word

• दीप्तजिह्वः: having a blazing tongue
• दीप्तजिह्वः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (one whose tongue is blazing)

• महाकायः: huge-bodied
• महाकायः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + काय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रः: sharp-fanged
• तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण + दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• महाबलः: very strong
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• व्यचरम्: I wandered
• व्यचरम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दण्डकारण्यम्: Dandaka forest
• दण्डकारण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मांसभक्षः: flesh-eating
• मांसभक्षः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः

• महामृगः: a great beast
• महामृगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + मृग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

I wandered in Dandaka forest in the form of a huge animal with a big and strong body, a flaming red tongue and sharp teeth feeding on flesh.

Characters & Entities

• Marīca
• Daṇḍakāraṇya (Daṇḍaka forest)

FAQs

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

The verse implicitly contrasts dharma with predatory adharma: living by violence and harm to others is a moral fall that invites eventual retribution.

What is the narrative situation?

Marīca describes to Rāvaṇa his earlier life of terror in Daṇḍaka, setting up why he understands the danger of provoking Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative exemplar is emphasized: the vice of cruelty and uncontrolled appetite, presented as a warning against adharma.