Shloka 26

मारीचवधः — The Slaying of Maricha

Golden Deer Deception

Devanagari script

तत्र रामं भयं तीव्रमाविवेश विषादजम्।राक्षसं मृगरूपं तं हत्वा श्रुत्वा च तत्स्वरम्।।।।

Transliteration

tatra rāmaṃ bhayaṃ tīvram āviveśa viṣādajam |

rākṣasaṃ mṛgarūpaṃ taṃ hatvā śrutvā ca tat-svaram ||

Translation

അവിടെ മാൻരൂപം ധരിച്ച ആ രാക്ഷസനെ വധിച്ച്, അതേ നിലവിളി കേട്ടതോടെ, വിഷാദത്തിൽ നിന്നുയർന്ന അതിതീവ്ര ഭയം രാമനിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तीव्रम्: intense
• तीव्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīvra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘bhayam’)

• आविवेश: entered/came over
• आविवेश: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + viś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• विषाद-जम्: born of grief
• विषाद-जम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣāda (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘born from sorrow’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘bhayam’)

• राक्षसम्: the demon
• राक्षसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मृग-रूपम्: in the form of a deer
• मृग-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘having deer-form’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘rākṣasam’)

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having killed’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having heard’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• तत्-स्वरम्: that sound/cry
• तत्-स्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘that sound’); पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Rama, wielder of the bow, saw that splendid animal ahead of him. Holding the bow he saw the deer running away, bewldered into the great forest looking at him again and again. The deer was getting out of the range of his arrow, while it enticed him now and then. Suspecting that he might be caught, the deer was, as though jumping into the sky. Now it came within sight and now out of sight in the huge forest. It looked like the autumnal moon surrounded by clouds. (The clouds muffle the Moon and reveal him now and then).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Mārīca (rākṣasa, deer-form)

FAQs

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

The verse shows the dharmic burden of protection: fear arises not from personal danger but from the possibility that one’s duty to safeguard loved ones has been compromised by deceit.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma kills the deer-form demon and immediately hears the imitated cry, realizing Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa may be endangered.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s deep sense of responsibility (rakṣaṇa-dharma), where emotional shock is tied to concern for others.