Shloka 6

अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनत्रिंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

वसतो दण्डकारण्ये तापसान्धर्मचारिणः।किन्नु हत्वा महाभागान्फलं प्राप्स्यसि राक्षस।।।।

Transliteration

vasato daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasān dharmacāriṇaḥ |

kiṃ nu hatvā mahābhāgān phalaṃ prāpsyasi rākṣasa ||

Translation

โอ้ยักษ์รากษส! เจ้าหวังจะได้ ‘ผล’ อันใดเล่า ด้วยการฆ่าฤๅษีผู้ทรงศีลอันประเสริฐ ผู้ประพฤติธรรม ซึ่งพำนักอยู่ในป่าทัณฑกะ

Word by Word

• वसतः: while residing (of the residents)
• वसतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-सम्भव वर्तमानकृदन्त; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन/एकवचन-सम्भाव्य (genitive absolute sense); अर्थः: ‘(तयोः) वसतः’ = while (they) reside

• दण्डकारण्ये: in the Daṇḍaka forest
• दण्डकारण्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डकारण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; नामधेय; तत्पुरुषः (दण्डकानाम् अरण्यम्)

• तापसान्: ascetics
• तापसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• धर्मचारिणः: followers of righteousness
• धर्मचारिणः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (पाठानुसार); तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं चरन्ति)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• नु: indeed/then (interrogative emphasis)
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक निपात

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• महाभागान्: great/venerable ones
• महाभागान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तः भाग्यवन्तः)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्राप्स्यसि: will obtain
• प्राप्स्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• राक्षस: O demon
• राक्षस: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

O demon ! what benefit will you get by killing the venerable ascetics, followers of righteous path residing in Dandaka forest?

Characters & Entities

• Daṇḍaka forest
• tāpasas (ascetics)
• rākṣasa

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the innocent and especially those devoted to spiritual discipline; violence against dharma-practitioners is condemned as purposeless and self-harming.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker rebukes a rākṣasa for attacking ascetics living in Daṇḍaka, questioning the supposed ‘benefit’ of such cruelty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for dharma and compassion—recognizing ascetics as worthy of protection rather than harm.