Shloka 4

न्यग्रोध

प्रवेश-निवारणम् (Preventing Indrajit’s Banyan-Tree Rite) / Indrajit Confronts Vibhishana

Devanagari script

इहोपहारंभूतानांबलवान्रावणात्मजः ।उपहृत्यततःपश्चात्सङ्ग्राममभिवर्तते ।।6.87.4।।

Transliteration

ihopahāraṃ bhūtānāṃ balavān rāvaṇātmajaḥ | upahṛtya tataḥ paścāt saṅgrāmam abhivartate || 6.87.4 ||

Translation

Di sinilah putera Rāvaṇa yang perkasa mempersembahkan upacara persembahan kepada para makhluk; sesudah itu barulah ia menuju ke medan perang.

Word by Word

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• उपहारम्: offering/oblation
• उपहारम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Plural)

• बलवान्: mighty
• बलवान्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• रावणात्मजः: Ravana's son
• रावणात्मजः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; apposition to बलवान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: 'Rāvaṇa's son')

• उपहृत्य: having offered
• उपहृत्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action): 'having offered/brought'

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: काल/क्रम (Temporal sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तदर्थक (ablatival adverb): 'thereafter/from that'

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: काल (Kāla/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• सङ्ग्रामम्: battle/battlefield
• सङ्ग्रामम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; goal approached)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• अभिवर्तते: approaches/advances toward
• अभिवर्तते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

Context

"O Rakshasa! You are mean, proud of might, immoral and bound by the noose of death. Whatever you wish to say you may say."

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit (Rāvaṇa’s son)
• Rāvaṇa
• Bhūtas (beings/spirits)
• Battlefield (saṅgrāma)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts outward ritual with inner righteousness: ritual acts used to empower unjust violence do not become dharma merely by being ‘religious’ in form.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa explains Indrajit’s preparatory rite—offerings to bhūtas—before he re-enters combat with enhanced, deceptive power.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vibhīṣaṇa’s discernment and moral clarity—he recognizes and reveals the enemy’s method so that dharma can respond effectively.