Shloka 16

मारीचस्य रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Maricha’s Counsel on Kingship and Ruin to Ravana

Devanagari script

तदिदं काकतालीयं घोरमासादितं मया।अत्र किं शोचनीयस्त्वं ससैन्यो विनशिष्यसि।।।।

Transliteration

tad idaṃ kākatālīyaṃ ghoram āsāditaṃ mayā | atra kiṃ śocanīyas tvaṃ sasainyo vinaśiṣyasi ||

Translation

ഈ ഭീകര ദുരന്തം കാകതാലീയ ന്യായംപോലെ അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായി എനിക്ക് സംഭവിച്ചു; ഇവിടെ ദുഃഖിക്കാനുള്ളത് എന്ത്? നീ സൈന്യസഹിതം നശിക്കും.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kākatālīyam: accidental; by chance
• kākatālīyam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kākatālīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying 'idam'

• ghoram: dreadful
• ghoram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying the event/thing

• āsāditam: reached; encountered
• āsāditam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sad (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त/क्त), Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with 'idam'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of place

• kim: what? why?
• kim: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative used adverbially

• śocanīyaḥ: to be lamented; deplorable
• śocanīyaḥ: Vidhaya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śuc (धातु) + anīya (अनीय)
• Form: Gerundive (भाव्य/अनीय), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective to 'tvam'

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sasainyaḥ: together with (your) army
• sasainyaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थ) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) 'sa-sainya' = 'with army'; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies 'tvam'

• vinaśiṣyasi: you will perish
• vinaśiṣyasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√naś (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्/Periphrastic future), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Context

Rama will kill you not long after killing me.Hence even if I die in the hands of the enemy, my desire will be fulfilled.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• sainya (army)

FAQs

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

Even if misfortune seems accidental, adharma-driven intent leads to predictable ruin; dharma frames consequences beyond mere chance.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca expresses readiness to face danger while declaring that Rāvaṇa’s course will end in total destruction.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Clear-sighted truth-telling (satya-vacana) even when it is unwelcome.