Shloka 39

मायामृगदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Illusory Deer

Devanagari script

उत्थाय बहवो येन मृगयायां जनाधिपाः।निहताः परमेष्वासास्तस्माद्वध्यस्त्वयं मृगः।।।।

Transliteration

utthāya bahavo yena mṛgayāyāṃ janādhipāḥ | nihatāḥ parameṣvāsās tasmād vadhyas tv ayaṃ mṛgaḥ ||

Translation

വേട്ടയ്ക്കായി പുറപ്പെട്ട അനേകം രാജാക്കന്മാർ—മഹാധനുർധരർ—അവനാൽ കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു; അതുകൊണ്ട് ഈ ‘മൃഗം’ വധയോഗ്യമാണ്.

Word by Word

• उत्थाय: having risen; having set out
• उत्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable): having risen/setting out

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifier) जनाधिपाः

• येन: by whom; by which
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc/Neut), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (relative)

• मृगयायाम्: in the hunt; during hunting
• मृगयायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जनाधिपाः: kings
• जनाधिपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः जनानाम् अधिपाः (lords of people)

• निहताः: were slain
• निहताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परमेष्वासाः: great archers
• परमेष्वासाः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + इष्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः परमाः इष्वासाः (excellent archers)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतौ पञ्चमी-प्रयोग (ablatival indeclinable sense: therefore/from that reason)

• वध्यः: fit to be slain; should be killed
• वध्यः: Vidhana (विधान/necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय कृदन्त (gerundive: to be killed), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative) मृगः

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• मृगः: deer
• मृगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Many kings who were great archers who set out on hunting expedition were killed by him. Therefore, this animal deserves to be killed.

Characters & Entities

• kings (janādhipāḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma recognizes proportional response to persistent violence: one who repeatedly kills and terrorizes society forfeits protection, and restraining such a threat becomes a righteous obligation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama cites Mārīca’s history of killing even powerful kings, concluding that the disguised creature should be slain.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Firmness in upholding order (rāja-dharma): Rama argues from public harm and precedent to justify decisive action.