Shloka 28

अकम्पनवृत्तान्तः

Akampana Reports Janasthana; Ravana Plans Sita’s Abduction

Devanagari script

न तं वध्यमहं मन्ये सर्वैर्देवासुरैरपि।अयं तस्य वधोपायस्तन्ममैकमनाश्शृणु।।3.31.28।।

Transliteration

na taṃ vadhyam ahaṃ manye sarvair devāsurair api |

ayaṃ tasya vadhopāyas tan mamaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ||3.31.28||

Translation

ข้าพเจ้าไม่เห็นว่าเขาจะถูกสังหารได้ แม้เหล่าเทวะและอสูรทั้งปวงจะร่วมกันก็ตาม แต่ยังมีอุบายเพื่อความพินาศของเขา—จงฟังถ้อยคำเดียวของข้าด้วยใจแน่วแน่เถิด

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; pronoun ‘him’

• vadhyam: killable
• vadhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadhya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vadh (वध्) + यत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘to be killed/killable’ (gerundive)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• manye: think
• manye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• sarvaiḥ: by all
• sarvaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (सर्व-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘by all’

• deva-asuraiḥ: by gods and demons
• deva-asuraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव-प्रातिपदिक) + asura (असुर-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘by gods and demons’

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)

• ayam: this (is)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative ‘this’

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘of him’

• vadha-upāyaḥ: means of killing
• vadha-upāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (वध-प्रातिपदिक) + upāya (उपाय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वधस्य उपायः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here ‘that’ (object of ‘hear’)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘my/from me’

• eka-manāḥ: single-minded
• eka-manāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (एक-प्रातिपदिक) + manas (मनस्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (एकं मनः यस्य सः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; vocative sense implied addressing listener

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Context

I do not think it is possible for gods and demons together to kill him, yet there is a way for his destruction. You may listen to me with single minded-attention:

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Ravana
• Akampana
• Deva (gods)
• Asura

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how counsel can be used either to uphold dharma or to enable adharma; attention to advice must be guided by righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Akampana introduces a ‘means’ to bring about Rama’s end, setting up the plot that turns toward Sita.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s near-invulnerability; indirectly, it underscores the danger of choosing deceitful strategy over righteous confrontation.