Valmiki Ramayana 2.116.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 116, Shloka 14
तपस्विनाम् औत्सुक्यं राक्षसत्रासश्च
Ascetics’ Anxiety and the Fear of Rakshasas
Addressed to RamaSetting: आश्रम-परिसरः (वन)
दर्शयन्ति हि बीभत्सैः क्रूरैर्भीषणकैरपि ।
नानारूपैर्विरूपैश्च रूपैर्विकृतदर्शनैः ॥१४॥
darśayanti hi bībhatsaiḥ krūraiḥ bhīṣaṇakair api |
nānārūpair virūpaiś ca rūpair vikṛtadarśanaiḥ ||14||
Eles se mostram em muitas formas: hediondas, cruéis e aterradoras; disformes, de aparência pervertida e repulsiva ao olhar.
Sandhi Notes
- hyasminnāśrame → hi asmin āśrame
They appear in various distorted forms now rapacious, now fearful, now deformed.
The teaching
अधर्मः प्रायः छल-रूपेण (नानारूपैः) उपस्थाति; साधकः विवेक-दृष्ट्या तं पहिचान्यात्।
- Ethical theme
- विवेक/सावधानता
For your practice
भय-उत्पन्ने मनः-स्थैर्य, नामस्मरण/रक्षामन्त्र-जप, इन्द्रिय-निग्रहः; ‘रूप’ के प्रति अनासक्ति।
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Bhayanaka (fear), with Bibhatsa (disgust)
- Mood
- Ghastly, repulsive, nightmarish
Themes
- Dharma
- Ethics
- Fear and intimidation
- Adharma (terror tactics)
- Tapas (threatened)
रूप-परिवर्तनं इव जगत्-प्रतीतिः—मायिक-आवरण-विक्षेप; साधकस्य विवेकः ‘रूपे’ न मोहितव्यः।
श्वेताश्वतर 4.10 (मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्…)—मायिक-रूपविकारा।
वाल्मीकि-रामायण 1.22 (मारीच-रूपविकार/यज्ञविघ्न); वाल्मीकि-रामायण 3.27-3.28 (राक्षस-भयङ्कर-रूपवर्णन)
अथर्ववेद (भूत-प्रेत-रक्षः-भय-निवारण)
अयोध्याकाण्ड 2.116.15-16 (उत्पात-क्रिया-नाश)
अनुष्टुप्
Grieving
तीव्र-भय-स्वर; द्रुत-लयः
FAQs
Dharma opposes intimidation—using terror and deception to break spiritual practice is portrayed as a violation demanding protection.
The ascetics describe the methods of harassment: rākṣasas frighten them by appearing in grotesque forms.
Endurance under fear—ascetics persist despite psychological terror, highlighting steadfastness in tapas.
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