Shloka 4

मायामृगदर्शनम्

The Vision of the Illusory Deer

Devanagari script

शङ्कमानस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणो राममब्रवीत्।तमेवैनमहं मन्ये मारीचं राक्षसं मृगम्।।।।

Transliteration

śaṅkamānas tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇo rāmam abravīt | tam evainam ahaṃ manye mārīcaṃ rākṣasaṃ mṛgam ||

Translation

ครั้นเห็นแล้วเกิดความระแวง ลักษมณะจึงทูลพระรามว่า “ข้าพระองค์เห็นว่า กวางตัวนี้เองคือรากษสมาริจะ”

Word by Word

• शङ्कमानः: suspecting
• शङ्कमानः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; participial qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘लक्ष्मणः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

• रामम्: to Rama
• रामम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient; person addressed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• तम्: him/that one
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• एनम्: this one
• एनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; in apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

• मन्ये: think
• मन्ये: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद

• मारीचम्: Maricha
• मारीचम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारीच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘तम्/एनम्’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य-निर्देश

• राक्षसम्: a demon
• राक्षसम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘मारीचम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मृगम्: (as) a deer
• मृगम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘मारीचम्’ इत्यस्य उपाधि/रूप-निर्देश

Context

Seeing the deer, Lakshmana suspected him to be Maricha and said this to Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Mārīca
• rākṣasa
• deer

FAQs

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

Satya-guided prudence: Dharma includes speaking timely truth to prevent harm. Lakṣmaṇa models responsible counsel—warning a leader when danger is disguised as beauty.

What is the narrative situation?

At the sight of the extraordinary deer, Lakṣmaṇa suspects deception and identifies it as Mārīca in disguise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilance and loyal counsel: Lakṣmaṇa prioritizes safety and truth over fascination with appearances.