Shloka 23

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Aranyakanda 39): राक्षसस्य रामत्रासवर्णनम् / The Demon’s Account of Rama

Fear

Devanagari script

यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः।।।।अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा।अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्त्वं को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः।।।।

Transliteration

yadi śūrpaṇakhāhetoḥ janasthānagataḥ kharaḥ |

ativṛtto hataḥ pūrvaṃ rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā |

atra brūhi yathātattvaṃ ko rāmasya vyatikramaḥ ||

Translation

หากคระผู้สถิต ณ ชนสถาน ด้วยเหตุแห่งศูรปณขาได้ล่วงเกินขอบเขต และก่อนหน้านี้ถูกพระรามผู้ทรงประกอบกิจโดยไม่ยากเย็นประหารแล้ว—จงกล่าว ณ ที่นี้ตามความจริงเถิดว่า พระรามได้ล่วงธรรมข้อใด?

Word by Word

यदिif

शूर्पणखाहेतोःfor Surpanakha's sake

जनस्थानगतःgone to/at Janasthana

खरःKhara

अतिवृत्तःhaving overstepped

हतःslain

पूर्वम्formerly

रामेणby Rama

अक्लिष्टकर्मणाby one whose deeds are effortless

अत्रhere

ब्रूहिtell

यथातत्त्वम्truly, as it is

कःwhat? / who?

रामस्यof Rama

व्यतिक्रमःtransgression, violation

Context

For the sake of Surpanakha, Khara of Janasthana committed excesses and got killed by Rama who can accomplish things with ease.Tell me truly if Rama did violate anything here.

Characters & Entities

Marīca

Rāvaṇa

Śūrpaṇakhā

Khara

Janasthāna

Rāma

FAQs

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

Punishment follows transgression: Marīca frames Rāma’s killing of Khara as a response to overreach, challenging any claim that righteous defense is itself a violation.

What is the narrative situation?

Marīca argues with Rāvaṇa’s grievance narrative: if Khara was slain after exceeding limits, then Rāma is not at fault—thus Rāvaṇa lacks moral grounds for revenge.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment to Satya (truth): insisting on an honest accounting of who violated norms first.