Shloka 6

मारीचोपदेशः — Maricha’s Counsel to Ravana

On Rama’s Dharma and the Peril of Abduction

Devanagari script

अपि त्वामीश्वरं प्राप्य कामवृत्तं निरङ्कुशम्।न विनश्येत्पुरी लङ्का त्वया सह सराक्षसा।।।।

Transliteration

api tvām īśvaraṃ prāpya kāmavṛttaṃ niraṅkuśam |

na vinaśyet purī laṅkā tvayā saha sarākṣasā ||

Translation

แม้พวกเขาจะได้ท่านเป็นอีศวรและเจ้าเหนือหัว—ผู้ถูกกามครอบงำและไร้การยับยั้ง—ขออย่าให้กรุงลงกา พินาศไปพร้อมกับท่านและเหล่ารากษสทั้งปวง

Word by Word

• api: even; indeed
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), concessive/emphatic = 'even/indeed'

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• īśvaram: lord; master
• īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• prāpya: having obtained
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive); 'having obtained/after obtaining'

• kāmavṛttam: given to sensual desire
• kāmavṛttam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma-vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक; काम + वृत्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) to 'tvām'

• niraṅkuśam: unrestrained; unchecked
• niraṅkuśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-aṅkuśa (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + अङ्कुश)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) to 'tvām'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• vinaśyet: might perish; should be destroyed
• vinaśyet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-naś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• purī: city
• purī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• laṅkā: Lanka
• laṅkā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); 'purī laṅkā' apposition

• tvayā: by you; with you
• tvayā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (सहकारक/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश/सह-प्रयोग (postposition-like indeclinable) governing तृतीया (with instrumental)

• sa-rākṣasā: along with demons
• sa-rākṣasā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक; सह + राक्षस)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि विशेषण (possessive adj.) qualifying implied agent 'tvayā' = 'you along with demons'

Context

You are fickle-minded. You have employed no spy ( who could have told you the truth about Rama's character). Rama is very brave and virtuous comparable to Indra and Varuna. Surely you are not able to know what Rama is.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

A ruler’s lack of restraint (niraṅkuśatā) and indulgence (kāmavṛtti) endangers the entire polity; dharma in leadership requires self-mastery.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca warns that Rāvaṇa’s unrestrained desires can lead to the ruin of Laṅkā and the rākṣasa clan.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is royal self-discipline; its absence in Rāvaṇa is presented as a civilizational threat.