Shloka 43

मायामृगदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Illusory Deer

Devanagari script

त्वयाऽविगण्य वातापे परिभूतास्स्वतेजसा।जीवलोके द्विजश्रेष्ठास्तस्मादसि जरां गतः।।।।

Transliteration

tvayāvigaṇya vātāpe paribhūtāḥ svatejasā | jīvaloke dvijaśreṣṭhās tasmād asi jarāṃ gataḥ ||

Translation

О Ватапи — ибо ты, полагаясь на собственную силу, пренебрёг и унизил своим могуществом лучших из брахманов в мире живых; потому и встретил конец, будучи переварен.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अविगण्य: disregarding
• अविगण्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund) with negation prefix अ-; 'not considering/disregarding'

• वातापे: O Vatāpi
• वातापे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वातापि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• परिभूताः: were insulted/overpowered
• परिभूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) with उपसर्ग परि-; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृस्थानी (passive predicate)

• स्व-तेजसा: by your own power
• स्व-तेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जीवलोके: in the world of living beings
• जीवलोके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: the best of twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (ablatival particle): 'therefore/from that'

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• जराम्: decay/old age (digestion)
• जराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• गतः: gone to / become (digested)
• गतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'gone/come to' (predicate with 'असि')

Context

'O Vatapi! you killed the best of brahmins living in this world, disregarding them because of your power. Hence you were digested by me.'

Characters & Entities

• Vātāpi
• Dvija (Brahmins)

FAQs

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

Power does not justify contempt: violating and humiliating the righteous—especially revered teachers and brahmins—invites inevitable retribution.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma cites a well-known moral example (Vātāpi’s fate) to frame the danger of demonic deception and the karmic consequences of insulting the virtuous.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment aligned with dharma: recognizing that arrogance toward the righteous leads to downfall.