Shloka 24

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

Sarga 29: Rama’s Admonition to Khara and the Shattering of the Mace

Devanagari script

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि राक्षसानां हतानि ते।त्वद्विनाशात्करोम्येषां तेषामश्रुप्रमार्जनम्।।।।

Transliteration

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rākṣasānāṃ hatāni te | tvadvināśāt karomy eṣāṃ teṣām aśrupramārjanam ||

Translation

รากษสสิบสี่พันถูกเจ้าฆ่าลงแล้ว; เมื่อทำลายเจ้า เราจักเช็ดน้ำตาของพวกเขา—จักล้างแค้นแทนพวกเขา

Word by Word

• caturdaśa: fourteen
• caturdaśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of sahasrāṇi
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturdaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral (saṃkhyā), indeclinable-like; dvigu compound ‘fourteen’ qualifying sahasrāṇi

• sahasrāṇi: thousands
• sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied ‘are’) / subject of hatāni (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napūṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Bahuvacana

• rākṣasānām: of demons
• rākṣasānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive dependent on sahasrāṇi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6th), Bahuvacana

• hatāni: killed
• hatāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) / predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √han धातु)
• Form: Napūṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Bahuvacana; kta-participle agreeing with sahasrāṇi

• te: for you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī (Dat. 4th), Ekavacana; ‘for you’

• tvadvināśāt: from (by) your destruction
• tvadvināśāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad + vināśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (Abl. 5th), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘from your destruction’

• karomi: I do, I will perform
• karomi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• eṣām: of these
• eṣām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive with aśrupramārjanam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6th), Bahuvacana; ‘of these’

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive with aśrupramārjanam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6th), Bahuvacana; ‘of them’ (referring to rākṣasāḥ)

• aśrupramārjanam: wiping away tears
• aśrupramārjanam: Karma (कर्म) of karomi
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru + pramārjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napūṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘wiping of tears’

Context

The huge, blazing mace hurled by Khara's arms reduced the trees and shrubs into ashes and came close to Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Rāma
• rākṣasāḥ (demons)

FAQs

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

The verse contrasts vengeance with dharma: grief can be redirected into retribution, but dharma asks whether the cause itself was righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Khara frames the coming fight as retaliation for the rākṣasas previously killed by Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s role as a remover of oppression is implied; Khara’s stance shows attachment to clan-loyalty over universal dharma.