Shloka 22

मारीचवधः — The Slaying of Maricha

Golden Deer Deception

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा पतितं भूमौ राक्षसं घोरदर्शनम्।।3.44.21।।रामो रुधिरसिक्ताङ्गं चेष्टमानं महीतले।जगाम मनसा सीतां लक्ष्मणस्य वचस्स्मरन्।।3.44.22।।

Transliteration

hā sīte lakṣmaṇety evam ākruśya ca mahāsvaram |

mamāra rākṣasas so 'yaṃ śrutvā sītā kathaṃ bhavet ||

lakṣmaṇaś ca mahābāhuḥ kāmavasthāṃ gamiṣyati |

iti sañcintya dharmātmā rāmo hṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ ||

Translation

“ഹാ സീതേ! ഹാ ലക്ഷ്മണ!” എന്നു മഹാസ്വരത്തിൽ നിലവിളിച്ച് ഈ രാക്ഷസൻ മരിച്ചു. ആ നിലവിളി കേട്ടാൽ സീത എങ്ങനെ ആയിരിക്കും? മഹാബാഹുവായ ലക്ഷ്മണൻ ഏതു അവസ്ഥയിലേക്കു വീഴും? ഇങ്ങനെ ചിന്തിച്ച ധർമ്മാത്മാവായ രാമന്റെ രോമാഞ്ചം എഴുന്നേറ്റു.

Word by Word

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• रुधिर-सिक्त-अङ्गम्: with limbs drenched in blood
• रुधिर-सिक्त-अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudhira (प्रातिपदिक) + sikta (√sic, धातु, क्त) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रुधिरेण सिक्तानि अङ्गानि यस्य/यत्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘ceṣṭamānam’/‘tam’)

• चेष्टमानम्: struggling/moving
• चेष्टमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ceṣṭ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present participle/शानच्), आत्मनेपदी; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मही-तले: on the surface of the earth
• मही-तले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मनसा: with (his) mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; ‘by mind/mentally’

• सीताम्: Sita
• सीताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणस्य: of Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (qualifying ‘rāmaḥ’)

Context

Seeing that terrific demon fallen on the ground, drenched in blood, and strring his limbs, Rama thought of Lakshmana's words and reached Sita mentally (thought of her).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Mārīca
• Sītā
• Lakṣmaṇa
• rākṣasa

FAQs

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

Protective responsibility: dharma is not only defeating evil but also anticipating the effects of deception on the innocent and acting to safeguard them.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca dies after imitating Rāma’s cry. Rāma immediately worries about how Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa will react upon hearing it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate vigilance: Rāma’s righteousness shows as anxious care for others’ well-being and swift moral awareness of danger.