Shloka 26

मारीचोपदेश

प्रतिषेधः / Ravana Rejects Maricha’s Counsel and Orders the Golden Deer Deception

Devanagari script

न चेत्करोषि मारीच हन्मि त्वामहमद्य वै।एतत्कार्यमवश्यं मे बलादपि करिष्यसि।राज्ञो हि प्रतिकूलस्थो न जातु सुखमेधते।।3.40.26।।

Transliteration

na cet karoṣi mārīca hanmi tvām aham adya vai | etat kāryam avaśyaṃ me balād api kariṣyasi | rājño hi pratikūlastho na jātu sukham edhate || 3.40.26 ||

Translation

നീ ഇത് ചെയ്യില്ലെങ്കിൽ, മാരീചാ, ഇന്നുതന്നെ ഞാൻ നിന്നെ വധിക്കും. ഈ കാര്യം എനിക്ക് നിർബന്ധം; ബലപ്രയോഗത്താലെങ്കിലും നീ അത് നിർവഹിക്കേണ്ടിവരും. രാജാവിന് വിരോധിയായി നിൽക്കുന്നവൻ ഒരിക്കലും സുഖത്തിൽ വളരുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

नnot

चेत्if

करोषिyou do

मारीचO Mārīca

हन्मिI kill / I will kill

त्वाम्you

अहम्I

अद्यtoday, now

वैindeed

एतत्this

कार्यम्task

अवश्यम्certainly

मेby me / my

बलात्by force

अपिeven, also

करिष्यसिyou will do

राज्ञःof the king

हिfor, indeed

प्रतिकूलस्थःone who stands against (the king)

नnot

जातुever

सुखम्happiness, comfort

एधतेprospers, thrives

Context

O Maricha! if you do not do this, I will kill you now. Or, by force make you do this work. No one who goes against the king lives in comfort.

Characters & Entities

Rāvaṇa

Mārīca

FAQs

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

It contrasts righteous kingship with tyranny: dharma-based rule protects and persuades; adharma-based rule coerces through fear and violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa escalates from persuasion to threat, insisting Mārīca must participate in the scheme or be killed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue highlighted by negation is just leadership (rāja-dharma): a king should not compel immoral acts, nor punish dissent rooted in prudence.