Shloka 4

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

Fear

Devanagari script

अग्निहोत्रेषु तीर्थेषु चैत्यवृक्षेषु रावण।अत्यन्तघोरो व्यचरं तापसान्सम्प्रधर्षयन्।।।।

Transliteration

agnihotreṣu tīrtheṣu caityavṛkṣeṣu rāvaṇa |

atyantaghoro vyacaraṃ tāpasān sampradharṣayan ||

Translation

โอ้ราวณะ ในสภาพอันน่าสะพรึงกลัวยิ่ง ข้าเที่ยวไปตามสถานที่ประกอบอัคนิโหตระ ตามท่าน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ และใต้ต้นไม้บูชา พร้อมทั้งคุกคามเหล่าฤๅษีผู้บำเพ็ญตบะ

Word by Word

• अग्निहोत्रेषु: at fire-sacrifices
• अग्निहोत्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc. 7), बहुवचन

• तीर्थेषु: at sacred places
• तीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• चैत्यवृक्षेषु: at sacred trees
• चैत्यवृक्षेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्य + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• रावण: O Ravana
• रावण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• अत्यन्तघोरः: extremely dreadful
• अत्यन्तघोरः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्त + घोर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (to अहम्)

• व्यचरम्: I wandered
• व्यचरम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• सम्प्रधर्षयन्: harassing
• सम्प्रधर्षयन्: Karta (कर्ता) (concomitant action)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + धृष्/धर्षय् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अहम्)

Context

O Ravana, assuming a very dreadful form, I wandered about sacrificial spots, sacred places, river banks, under huge trees planted at quadrangles-torturing the ascetics.

Characters & Entities

• Marīca
• Rāvaṇa
• agnihotra (sacrificial rite)
• tīrtha (sacred ford/place)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes safeguarding yajña and holy places; tormenting ascetics and defiling sacred spaces is a direct violation of religious and social order.

What is the narrative situation?

Marīca recounts his past offenses against sacred institutions while warning Rāvaṇa about the consequences of continued adharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is reverence and restraint toward sacred spaces and holy practitioners; Marīca’s recollection serves as a cautionary mirror.