Shloka 4

मारीचोपदेशः — Maricha’s Counsel to Ravana

On Rama’s Dharma and the Peril of Abduction

Devanagari script

अपि स्वस्ति भवेत्तात सर्वेषां भुवि रक्षसाम्।अपि रामो नासङ्क्रुद्धः कुर्याल्लोकमराक्षसम्।।।।

Transliteration

api svasti bhavet tāta sarveṣāṃ bhuvi rakṣasām |

api rāmo nāsaṅkruddhaḥ kuryāl lokam arākṣasam ||

Translation

ดูลูกรัก ขอความสวัสดีจงยังมีแก่เหล่ายักษ์ทั้งปวงบนพิภพนี้เถิด เพราะหากพระรามทรงกริ้วอย่างแท้จริง พระองค์อาจทำให้โลกนี้ปราศจากยักษ์ได้

Word by Word

• api: perhaps/indeed (I wonder)
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle expressing wish/question (सम्भावना/प्रश्न)

• svasti: safety/welfare
• svasti: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svasti (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Avyaya used as noun-like 'well-being'; often in benedictive sense

• bhavet: may there be
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• tāta: dear one/son
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• bhuvi: on earth/in the world
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• rakṣasām: of the demons
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• api: and also/again
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (repetition for emphasis)

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, negation

• asaṅkruddhaḥ: not enraged
• asaṅkruddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (नञ्) + saṅkruddha (कृदन्त; sam + √krudh)
• Form: Past participle used adjectivally; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicate with rāmaḥ

• kuryāt: would make/do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Optative), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• lokam: the world
• lokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• a-rākṣasam: without demons
• a-rākṣasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (नञ्) + rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; predicate adjective qualifying lokam

Context

After consulting all your ministers and the righteous persons led by Vibhisana, you may take a decision. Assess the real strength and weakness, merits and demerits of your own and of Rama. Decide what is good or bad for you and then take steps you deem proper.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Adharma invites destruction: when the righteous are provoked beyond endurance, justice manifests as decisive punishment; therefore one must avoid actions that awaken such righteous wrath.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca cautions Rāvaṇa that antagonizing Rama is existentially dangerous for the rākṣasa community.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s capacity to uphold dharma with overwhelming power—tempered by restraint unless provoked.