Shloka 9

मारीचस्य रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Maricha’s Counsel on Kingship and Ruin to Ravana

Devanagari script

विपर्यये तु तत्सर्वं व्यर्थं भवति रावण।व्यसनं स्वामिवैगुण्यात्प्राप्नुवन्तीतरे जनाः।।।।

Transliteration

viparyaye tu tat sarvaṃ vyarthaṃ bhavati rāvaṇa | vyasanaṃ svāmivaiguṇyāt prāpnuvantītare janāḥ ||

Translation

എന്നാൽ വിപരീതമായി സംഭവിച്ചാൽ, ഹേ രാവണാ, അതെല്ലാം വ്യർത്ഥമാകുന്നു; സ്വാമിയുടെ ദോഷം മൂലം മറ്റു ജനങ്ങളും ദുരിതത്തിൽ പതിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• विपर्यये: in the opposite case
• विपर्यये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचनम्

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle; contrastive ‘but’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; तत् इति विशेषणम्

• व्यर्थम्: useless
• व्यर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विधेयविशेषणम्

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्

• रावण: O Ravana
• रावण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्

• व्यसनम्: calamity
• व्यसनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्

• स्वामिवैगुण्यात्: from the master's faults
• स्वामिवैगुण्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि-वैगुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (स्वामिनः वैगुण्यम् = lord's defect)

• प्राप्नुवन्ति: attain/meet with
• प्राप्नुवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्

• इतरे: other
• इतरे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; जनाः इति विशेषणम्

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

Context

Otherwise evrything will become useless, O Ravana ! Others will suffer calamities on account of their master's vices.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma stresses the ruler’s accountability: a king’s moral defects do not remain private; they spread suffering through the polity.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca warns that Rāvaṇa’s flawed decision-making will not only ruin goals like fame and prosperity but will also bring disaster to others under his power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountable kingship: the virtue of governing oneself so that one does not become the cause of others’ suffering.