Shloka 8

मारीचस्य रावणं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Maricha’s Counsel on Kingship and Ruin to Ravana

Devanagari script

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च यशश्च जयतां वर।स्वामिप्रसादात्सचिवाः प्राप्नुवन्ति निशाचर।।।।

Transliteration

dharmam arthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca yaśaś ca jayatāṃ vara | svāmiprasādāt sacivāḥ prāpnuvanti niśācara ||

Translation

โอ้ผู้ท่องราตรี ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ผู้มีชัย ด้วยพระกรุณาแห่งเจ้านาย มนตรีย่อมบรรลุธรรมะ อรรถะ (ความรุ่งเรือง) กามะ (ความรื่นรมย์) และยศศักดิ์เกียรติยศ

Word by Word

• धर्मम्: righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्

• अर्थम्: wealth/prosperity
• अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/coordination conjunction

• कामम्: desire/pleasure
• कामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/coordination conjunction

• यशः: fame
• यशः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम् (यशः = यशस्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/coordination conjunction

• जयताम्: of the victorious
• जयताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जि (धातु) + शतृ/शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) ‘जयत्’; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचनम्; ‘of the victorious’

• वर: O best one
• वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative) एकवचनम्

• स्वामिप्रसादात्: from the lord's favor
• स्वामिप्रसादात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामि-प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (स्वामिनः प्रसादः = lord's favor)

• सचिवाः: ministers
• सचिवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• प्राप्नुवन्ति: attain
• प्राप्नुवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्

• निशाचर: O night-ranger (demon)
• निशाचर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्

Context

O Ravana ! the best among the successful ministers attain piety, prosperity, pleasures and fame by the grace of the king.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• Ministers

FAQs

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

The king’s conduct is ethically consequential: his grace and example enable the flourishing of dharma and the legitimate aims of life in his administration.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca explains the dependence of ministers’ fortunes—moral and material—on the ruler, preparing the critique that follows if the ruler is flawed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsible leadership: the ruler’s duty to uphold dharma so that dependents can thrive rightly.