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Shloka 40

सीतारावणसंवादः

Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma

मन्दरं पर्वतश्रेष्ठं पाणिना हर्तुमिच्छसि।कालकूटं विषं पीत्वा स्वस्तिमान्गन्तुमिच्छसि।।3.47.40।।

mandaraṁ parvataśreṣṭhaṁ pāṇinā hartum icchasi | kālakūṭaṁ viṣaṁ pītvā svastimān gantum icchasi || 3.47.40 ||

പർവ്വതശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ മന്ദരത്തെ ഒരു കൈകൊണ്ട് ഉയർത്താൻ നീ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു; ഭയങ്കരമായ കാലകൂടവിഷം കുടിച്ചിട്ടും സുഖമായി നടന്നു പോകാമെന്നു നീ പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.

mandaramMandara (mountain)
mandaram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootmandara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
parvata-śreṣṭhambest of mountains
parvata-śreṣṭham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootparvata (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: parvatānāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ (best of mountains)
pāṇināwith (your) hand
pāṇinā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana
hartumto carry away
hartum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Roothṛ (धातु)
FormTumun-infinitive (तुमुन्) = to carry off/take
icchasiyou wish
icchasi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootiṣ (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra, Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana
kālakūṭamkālakūṭa poison
kālakūṭam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkālakūṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
viṣampoison
viṣam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; apposition to kālakūṭam
pītvāhaving drunk
pītvā:
Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootpā (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ktvā) = having drunk
svastimānsafe/unharmed
svastimān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsvasti-mant (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective (safe/well)
gantumto go
gantum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootgam (धातु)
FormTumun-infinitive (तुमुन्) = to go
icchasiyou wish
icchasi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootiṣ (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra, Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

You are trying to carry the greatest of mountains, the Mandara, with one hand. You are wishing to go safe after drinking deadly poison (produced from the churning of the ocean).

M
Mārīca
R
Rāvaṇa
M
Mandara (mountain)

FAQs

Adharma mixed with arrogance leads to certain ruin; Dharma requires humility and respect for moral limits.

Mārīca warns that Rāvaṇa’s plan is as impossible and fatal as lifting Mandara with one hand or surviving after drinking Kālakūṭa.

Humility and prudence—recognizing that some acts are intrinsically destructive.