Shloka 10

मारीचस्य रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Maricha’s Counsel on Kingship and Ruin to Ravana

Devanagari script

राजमूलो हि धर्मश्च जयश्च जयतां वर।तस्मात्सर्वास्ववस्थासु रक्षितव्या नराधिपाः।।।।

Transliteration

rājamūlo hi dharmaś ca jayaś ca jayatāṃ vara |

tasmāt sarvāsv avasthāsu rakṣitavyā narādhipāḥ ||3.41.10||

Translation

ജയവീരന്മാരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനേ! ധർമ്മവും ജയവും രാജനിൽ തന്നെയാണ് മൂലമുള്ളത്; അതുകൊണ്ട് എല്ലാ അവസ്ഥകളിലും നരാധിപന്മാരെ സംരക്ഷിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• राजमूलः: having the king as the root
• राजमूलः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजन्-मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः मूलम् = having the king as root)

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

• धर्मः: righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय conjunction

• जयः: victory
• जयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय conjunction

• जयताम्: of the victorious
• जयताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जि (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘जयत्’; षष्ठी बहुवचनम्

• वर: O best one
• वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय/तद्-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/therefore (ablatival adverb from तद्)

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative) बहुवचनम्; अवस्थासु इति विशेषणम्

• अवस्थासु: in conditions/states
• अवस्थासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचनम्

• रक्षितव्याः: should be protected
• रक्षितव्याः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive; ‘to be protected’); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; नराधिपाः इति विधेयविशेषणम्

• नराधिपाः: kings
• नराधिपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् अधिपः = ruler of men)

Context

O Ravana, the best among the victorious! indeed the king is at the root of righteousness and victory.Therefore, the king should be protected by all at every stage.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• King (narādhipa)
• Dharma
• Jaya (victory)

FAQs

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

Rājadharma teaches that the king is the institutional root of social order; if the king falls into adharma or is destroyed, dharma and stability collapse. Hence protecting (and correcting) the king is a public necessity.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca counsels Rāvaṇa on the nature of kingship and the stakes of royal conduct, attempting to restrain a disastrous course.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue is responsible statecraft: prioritizing the preservation of righteous rule and long-term stability over impulsive desire.