Shloka 4

मारीचस्य रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Maricha’s Counsel on Kingship and Ruin to Ravana

Devanagari script

शत्रवस्तव सुव्यक्तं हीनवीर्या निशाचराः।इच्छन्ति त्वां विनश्यन्तमुपरुद्धं बलीयसा।।।।

Transliteration

śatravas tava suvyaktaṃ hīnavīryā niśācarāḥ | icchanti tvāṃ vinaśyantam uparuddhaṃ balīyasā ||

Translation

ഹേ നിശാചര, ഇത് വ്യക്തമാണ്: ശക്തി ക്ഷയിച്ച നിന്റെ ശത്രുക്കൾ, നിന്നെ കൂടുതൽ ബലവാനായ ശക്തിയോട് ഏറ്റുമുട്ടിച്ച് നശിക്കുന്നതു കാണാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शत्रवः: enemies
• शत्रवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुव्यक्तम्: very clearly
• सुव्यक्तम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (quite clearly)

• हीनवीर्याः: of diminished strength
• हीनवीर्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभाव (हीनं वीर्यं येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of निशाचराः)

• निशाचराः: demons
• निशाचराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• इच्छन्ति: desire, wish
• इच्छन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनश्यन्तम्: perishing, being destroyed
• विनश्यन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + नश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of त्वाम्)

• उपरुद्धम्: blocked, hemmed in
• उपरुद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + रुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of त्वाम्)

• बलीयसा: by a stronger (one)
• बलीयसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Context

This is clear that your enemy demons are now powerless. Hence they want you to be engaged with a stronger power and be destroyed.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas (night-rangers/demons)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes rājanīti (ethical statecraft): one must recognize when others are pushing him toward adharma and disaster for their own ends.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca suggests that internal rivals or enemies want Rāvaṇa to provoke a stronger opponent (Rāma), so that Rāvaṇa will be ruined.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic clarity and self-restraint: seeing hidden motives and avoiding needless conflict with superior force.