Shloka 16

षष्ठस्सर्गः — तपस्विरक्षणे राजधर्मोपदेशः

Sarga 6: The Sages’ Appeal and Instruction on Royal Duty

Devanagari script

एहि पश्य शरीराणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम्।हतानां राक्षसैर्घोरैर्बहूनां बहुधा वने।।।।

Transliteration

ehi paśya śarīrāṇi munīnāṃ bhāvitātmanām |

hatānāṃ rākṣasair ghorair bahūnāṃ bahudhā vane ||

Translation

വരുവിൻ—കാണുവിൻ, ഭാവിതാത്മാക്കളായ മുനിമാരുടെ ശരീരങ്ങൾ; ഭയങ്കര രാക്ഷസന്മാർ ഈ വനത്തിൽ അനേകരെ പലവിധത്തിൽ വധിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• पम्पानदी-निवासानाम्: of the dwellers by the river Pampa
• पम्पानदी-निवासानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पम्पानदी-निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: पम्पानदी + निवासिन् (‘dweller at the river Pampa’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अनु: near/along
• अनु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (preverb/indeclinable): ‘along/near’ (here governing the following compound)

• मन्दाकिनीम्: Mandakini (river)
• मन्दाकिनीम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अनु-योगे) ‘near Mandakini’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ-अव्यय (also/even)

• चित्रकूट-आलयानाम्: of those dwelling at Chitrakuta
• चित्रकूट-आलयानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रकूट-आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: चित्रकूट + आलय (‘dwelling at Chitrakuta’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

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

• क्रियते: is being done
• क्रियते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘is being done’

• कदनम्: slaughter / devastation
• कदनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (कदनम् इति)

Context

O Rama we are a group of great sages, mostly brahmins, leading a vanaprastha life. Yet with a protector like you, we are slaughtered in large numbers like orphans.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sages (munis)
• Rākṣasas
• Forest (Araṇya)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes bearing witness to injustice and responding to it; the invitation to ‘see’ makes protection a concrete moral imperative rather than an abstract ideal.

What is the narrative situation?

Sages present physical evidence of atrocities in the forest to move Rāma to decisive action against rākṣasa violence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity and resolve—recognizing wrongdoing plainly and acting to restore safety for those devoted to tapas and truth.