Shloka 28

मायामृगप्रकरणम्

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

Devanagari script

समुद्वीक्ष्य च ते सर्वे मृगा ह्यन्ये वनेचराः।।3.42.28।।उपागम्य समाघ्राय विद्रवन्ति दिशो दश।

Transliteration

samudvīkṣya ca te sarve mṛgā hy anye vanecarāḥ || 3.42.28 ||

upāgamya samāghrāya vidravanti diśo daśa |

Translation

അവനെ കണ്ടു വനത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന മറ്റു മൃഗങ്ങൾ എല്ലാം അടുത്തുവന്നു; എന്നാൽ സമീപിച്ച് മണത്തുനോക്കി, പത്തു ദിക്കുകളിലേക്കും ഓടിപ്പോയി.

Word by Word

• samudvīkṣya: having seen
• samudvīkṣya: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ud-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having looked/observed’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying mṛgāḥ/vanecarāḥ)

• mṛgāḥ: deer
• mṛgāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणार्थक निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• anye: other
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (other)

• vanecarāḥ: forest-dwellers
• vanecarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vane + cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (vane caranti iti), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• upāgamya: having approached
• upāgamya: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having come near’

• samāghrāya: having sniffed
• samāghrāya: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-ghrā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having sniffed’

• vidravanti: run away
• vidravanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-drav (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• diśaḥ: directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, अव्ययवत्/अविकारी (numeral used indeclinably), ‘ten’ (qualifying diśaḥ)

Context

Seeing the deer, other animals wandering in the forest come near and sniffing him run away in all ten directions.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca (implied)

FAQs

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

The verse suggests that truth leaves traces: even when eyes are deceived, deeper testing reveals falsity; dharma encourages examination (parīkṣā) rather than blind attraction.

What is the narrative situation?

Wild deer, sensing something unnatural after sniffing the disguised rākṣasa, scatter in fear.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): the ability to test and detect what is not aligned with natural truth.