Shloka 6

मायामृगप्रकरणम्

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

Devanagari script

एतच्छौण्डीर्ययुक्तं ते मच्छन्दवशवर्तिनः।इदानीमसि मारीचः पूर्वमन्यो निशाचरः।।3.42.6।।

Transliteration

etac chauṇḍīryayuktaṁ te macchandavaśavartinaḥ | idānīm asi mārīcaḥ pūrvam anyo niśācaraḥ || 3.42.6 ||

Translation

ഇത് നിന്റെ ധീരാഭിമാനത്തിന് യോജിച്ച വഴിയാണ്; ഇപ്പോൾ നീ എന്റെ ഇച്ഛാവശനായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു. ഇനി നീ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ‘മാരീചൻ’ തന്നെയാകുന്നു; മുമ്പ് നീ മറ്റൊരു നിശാചരനായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• śauṇḍīrya-yuktam: befitting/connected with valour
• śauṇḍīrya-yuktam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śauṇḍīrya (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त, √yuj धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (śauṇḍīryeṇa yuktaṃ = endowed with valour)

• te: to/for you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th case), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun

• mat-chanda-vaśa-vartinaḥ: of one who acts under my will
• mat-chanda-vaśa-vartinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + chanda (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mat-chanda = my wish) + तत्पुरुषः (vaśa-vartin = acting under control)

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• mārīcaḥ: Maricha
• mārīcaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārīca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; proper noun

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly/earlier)

• anyaḥ: another/different
• anyaḥ: Pradhana-visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• niśācaraḥ: night-roamer (demon)
• niśācaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

The great lady Sita, unworthy of dwelling in the forest, saw the wonderful deer decked with gems, with spots of pearls all over the body.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca

FAQs

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

It cautions against surrendering agency to unrighteous authority: acting under another’s coercive will erodes dharmic independence and moral identity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa, pleased with Mārīca’s consent, asserts dominance and reframes Mārīca’s identity as obedience to his command.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse underscores a vice rather than a virtue: Rāvaṇa’s arrogance and controlling nature.