Shloka 12

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनषष्टितमः सर्गः

Maricha’s Mimic Cry and the Rama–Lakshmana–Sita Confrontation

Devanagari script

किं निमित्तं तु केनापि भ्रातुरालम्ब्य मे स्वरम्।राक्षसेनेरितं वाक्यं त्राहि त्राहीति शोभने।।।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nimittaṃ tu kenāpi bhrātur ālambya me svaram |

rākṣasenā īritaṃ vākyaṃ trāhi trāhīti śobhane ||

Translation

హే శోభనే! ఏదో కారణంతో ఒక రాక్షసుడు నా అన్న స్వరాన్ని ఆశ్రయించి ‘త్రాహి, త్రాహి’—అంటే ‘రక్షించు, రక్షించు’ అని పలికాడు।

Word by Word

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); interrogative pronoun used adverbially

• निमित्तम्: reason, cause
• निमित्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of inquiry with किम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; interrogative

• अपि: even/any
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), indefinitizing with interrogative

• भ्रातुः: of (my) brother
• भ्रातुः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• आलम्ब्य: having adopted/using
• आलम्ब्य: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (पूर्वकालिक क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√lamb (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), indeclinable; ‘having taken support of/using’

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th) Singular; enclitic form

• स्वरम्: voice
• स्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• राक्षसेन: by a demon
• राक्षसेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• ईरितम्: uttered/said
• ईरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īrita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √īr/ईर्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; agrees with वाक्यम्

• वाक्यम्: words, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• त्राहि: save (me)!
• त्राहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √trā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• त्राहि: save (me)!
• त्राहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √trā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; repetition for urgency

• इति: thus/‘…’
• इति: Sambandha (वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (उद्धरण-निपात)

• शोभने: O fair lady
• शोभने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; used as address

Context

O fair lady, for some reason some demon has uttered these words 'Save me, save me' adapting my brother's voice.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Sita
• Rama
• Rakshasa

FAQs

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

Dharma requires vigilance against adharma’s methods: deception and mimicry are identified as tools of evil, and one must not abandon duty due to manipulated emotion.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana explains the suspicious cry as a demon’s imitation intended to lure him away from guarding Sita.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective prudence—Lakshmana prioritizes his assigned duty of guarding Sita and interprets events strategically.