Shloka 21

महापार्श्वस्य परामर्शः

Mahāpārśva’s Counsel and Rāvaṇa’s Confession of Brahmā’s Curse

Devanagari script

नवासनेनापिसहस्रचक्षुषायुधाऽस्मिशक्योवरुणेनवापुनः ।मयात्वियंबाहुबलेननिर्जितापुरापुरीवैश्रवणेनपालिता ।।।।

Transliteration

na vāsavenāpi sahasra-cakṣuṣā yudhā'smi śakyo varuṇena vā punaḥ |

mayā tv iyaṃ bāhu-balena nirjitā purā purī vaiśravaṇena pālitā ||

Translation

സഹസ്രനേത്രനായ വാസവൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) പോലും, പിന്നെയും വരുണനും, യുദ്ധത്തിൽ എന്നെ തടയാൻ കഴിയില്ല. എന്റെ തന്നെ ബാഹുബലത്താൽ ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കൽ ഈ നഗരത്തെ ജയിച്ചു; ഇത് മുൻപ് വൈശ്രവണൻ (കുബേരൻ) പാലിച്ചിരുന്നതാണ്.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (negation of predicate)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• वासवेन: by Vāsava (Indra)
• वासवेन: करण (agent/instrument: by Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिकम्) [इन्द्र-नाम]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., instr. sg.)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• सहस्रचक्षुषा: by the thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्रचक्षुषा: करण (by the thousand-eyed one)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिके) [समासः]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., instr. sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रचलितः ("having thousand eyes" = Indra-epithet)

• युधा: in battle, by combat
• युधा: करण (in battle/as means: in combat)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्/युधा (प्रातिपदिकम्/अव्ययप्रायः) [युद्ध-सम्बन्धे]
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (fem., instr. sg.); अर्थे—"युद्धेन/रणेन"

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: क्रिया (copula: I am)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातुः) "to be"
• Form: लट्-लकारः, उत्तम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम् (present, 1st person sg.)

• शक्यः: possible (to be done/withstood)
• शक्यः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective of speaker: not possible to be withstood)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक् (धातुः) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्ययः) → शक्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: यत्-कृत् (potential passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nom. sg.); न-निषेधेन—"न शक्यः"

• वरुणेन: by Varuṇa
• वरुणेन: करण (by Varuṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., instr. sg.)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of repetition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• मया: by me
• मया: करण/कर्तृ (by me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्) → मद्/मया
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (pronoun, instr. sg.)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (contrast/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: कर्तृ (subject: this)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (pronoun, fem., nom. sg.)

• बाहुबलेन: by (my) arm-strength
• बाहुबलेन: करण (by strength of arms)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु + बल (प्रातिपदिके) [समासः]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः (बल-शब्दः नपुंसकः; समासे तृतीया-एकवचनम्), तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (instr. sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ("of the arms" + "strength")

• निर्जिता: conquered
• निर्जिता: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate/attribute of city: conquered)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + जि (धातुः) + क्त (कृत्) → निर्जित (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः)
• Form: क्त-कृत् (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (fem., nom. sg.); "पुरी"-विशेषणम्

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: क्रियाविशेषण (time adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly/in the past)

• पुरी: city
• पुरी: कर्तृ (subject: the city)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिकम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (fem., nom. sg.)

• वैश्रवणेन: by Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• वैश्रवणेन: करण (by Vaiśravaṇa/Kubera)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्रवण (प्रातिपदिकम्) [कुबेर-नाम]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., instr. sg.)

• पालिता: ruled/protected
• पालिता: कर्तृ-विशेषण (attribute of city: ruled/protected)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाल् (धातुः) + क्त (कृत्) → पालित (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः)
• Form: क्त-कृत् (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (fem., nom. sg.); "पुरी"-विशेषणम्

Context

"Even for the thousand eyed Indra or Lord Varuna it is not possible to withstand me in combat. In the past I have won this city ruled by Kubera with huge strength."৷৷ইত্যার্ষেবাল্মীকীযেশ্রীমদ্রামাযণেআদিকাব্যেযুদ্ধকাণ্ডেত্রযোদশস্সর্গঃ৷৷This is the end of the thirteenth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Indra (Vāsava, Sahasracakṣu)
• Varuṇa
• Kubera (Vaiśravaṇa)
• Laṅkā (implied city)

FAQs

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

Legitimacy in kingship is dharma-based, not conquest-based. The verse highlights the adharma of pride in usurpation—taking a city by force and boasting of it.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa declares himself unconquerable even to major gods and recalls having seized Laṅkā, once under Kubera’s rule.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, dharmic sovereignty is emphasized—rule should protect and uphold order, contrasting with Rāvaṇa’s self-glorifying conquest.