Shloka 14

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

Devanagari script

सोऽहं भुजाभ्यां दीर्घाभ्यां संकृष्यास्मिन्वने चरान्।।3.71.14।।सिंहव्दिपमृगव्याघ्रान् भक्षयामि समन्ततः।

Transliteration

so 'haṃ bhujābhyāṃ dīrghābhyāṃ saṅkṛṣyāsmin vane carān || 3.71.14 ||

siṃha-dvipa-mṛga-vyāghrān bhakṣayāmi samantataḥ |

Translation

ആ ദീർഘഭുജങ്ങളാൽ ഞാൻ ഈ വനത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ജീവികളെ വലിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുവരുന്നു—സിംഹം, ദ്വിപം, മൃഗം, വ്യാഘ്രം എന്നിവയെ—എല്ലാ വശത്തുനിന്നും ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhujābhyām: with (my) two arms
• bhujābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• dīrghābhyām: long
• dīrghābhyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; विशेषण (भुजाभ्याम्)

• saṅkṛṣya: having dragged
• saṅkṛṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), अर्थः 'having dragged/pulled'

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• carān: moving (creatures)
• carān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: carat (कृदन्त; √car धातु, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त—'moving/roaming' (प्राणिनः)

• siṃha-dvipa-mṛga-vyāghrān: lions, elephants, deer and tigers
• siṃha-dvipa-mṛga-vyāghrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + dvipa (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (lions+elephants+deer+ tigers)

• bhakṣayāmi: I eat, devour
• bhakṣayāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• samantataḥ: on all sides
• samantataḥ: Deśa-viśeṣaṇa (देशविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (everywhere/all around)

Context

Stretching the long arms in the forest, I dragged creatures like lions, tigers, elephants and deer moving in the forest and ate them.

Characters & Entities

• Kabandha
• Rama
• forest (Aranya)
• lions
• elephants
• deer
• tigers

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how a corrupted condition can normalize harm; Dharma calls for liberation from such compulsions and for restoring right order rather than celebrating power over the weak.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha describes his day-to-day predation enabled by his unnatural arms, explaining why he is a threat to travelers in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

For Rāma, the implied virtue is protective kingship: confronting predatory forces that endanger the innocent is a dhārmic duty.