Shloka 37

मायामृगदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Illusory Deer

Devanagari script

यदि वाऽयं तथा यन्मां भवेद्वदसि लक्ष्मण।मायैषा राक्षसस्येति कर्तव्योस्य वधो मया।।।।

Transliteration

yadi vāyaṃ tathā yan māṃ bhaved vadasi lakṣmaṇa | māyaiṣā rākṣasasyeti kartavyo 'sya vadho mayā ||

Translation

ดูลักษมณะ แม้หากเป็นจริงดังที่เจ้ากล่าว—ว่าเป็นมายาที่รากษสเนรมิต—ยิ่งเป็นหน้าที่ของเรายิ่งนักที่จะประหารมันเสีย

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• तथा: so; thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• भवेत्: might be; should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• वदसि: you say
• वदसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• लक्ष्मण: O Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• माया: illusion; magic
• माया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• राक्षसस्य: of a demon
• राक्षसस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done; must be done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhana (विधान/necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय कृदन्त (gerundive: to be done), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative) वधः

• अस्य: of him/it
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• वधः: killing; slaying
• वधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

Context

Lakshmana, as you say, if it is the illusion of a demon, even then it should be killed by me.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• rākṣasa
• māyā (illusion)

FAQs

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

Rama frames action as duty: deception that harms the innocent must be opposed. Even when truth is uncertain, Dharma demands readiness to neutralize proven threats to righteous life.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa warns that the deer may be a demon’s illusion; Rama replies that if it is indeed demonic deception, he must kill it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protective responsibility (kṣātra-dharma) and resolve: Rama asserts the obligation to confront rākṣasa-violence and deceit.