Shloka 11

मायामृगप्रकरणम्

The Illusory Deer Episode: Ravana and Maricha at Rama’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

समेत्य दण्डकारण्यं राघवस्याश्रमं ततः।ददर्श सह मारीचो रावणो राक्षसाधिपः।।3.42.11।।

Transliteration

sametya daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ rāghavasyāśramaṃ tataḥ |

dadarśa saha mārīco rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ ||3.42.11||

Translation

പിന്നീട് രാക്ഷസാധിപനായ രാവണൻ മാരീചനോടൊപ്പം ദണ്ഡകാരണ്യത്തിൽ എത്തി, രാഘവന്റെ (രാമന്റെ) ആശ്രമം കണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• sametya: having reached
• sametya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√i (इ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive): ‘having reached/come together’

• daṇḍaka-araṇyam: Dandaka forest
• daṇḍaka-araṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍaka (प्रातिपदिक) + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (daṇḍakaṃ araṇyam = Dandaka forest)

• rāghavasya: of Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• āśramam: hermitage
• āśramam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• saha: with
• saha: Sahartha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (with)

• mārīcaḥ: Maricha
• mārīcaḥ: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case) in sense with saha; epic usage sometimes shows nominative form after saha; intended: mārīcena

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rākṣasa-adhipaḥ: lord of demons
• rākṣasa-adhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (rākṣasānām adhipaḥ = lord of demons)

Context

Ravana, king of the demons, accompanied by Maricha, then reached Dandaka forest and saw Rama's hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca
• Daṇḍakāraṇya (Daṇḍaka forest)
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Āśrama (hermitage)

FAQs

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

The verse sets up the ethical contrast: a righteous hermitage (āśrama) is approached by agents of adharma. Dharma here is implied as the sanctity of āśrama-life and the duty to protect it from disruptive intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa and Mārīca arrive at Daṇḍaka and visually locate Rāma’s hermitage, preparing to execute their plan.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s virtue is implicit: the hermitage represents disciplined dharmic living; the verse highlights how such spaces become targets of hostile, unrighteous schemes.