Shloka 9

रामक्रोधवर्णनम्

Lakshmana’s Counsel to the Enraged Rama

Devanagari script

नैकस्य तु कृते लोकान्विनाशयितुमर्हसि।।।।युक्तदण्डा हि मृदवः प्रशान्ता वसुधाधिपाः।

Transliteration

naikasya tu kṛte lokān vināśayitum arhasi |

yuktadaṇḍā hi mṛdavaḥ praśāntā vasudhādhipāḥ ||

Translation

เพื่อคนเพียงผู้เดียว ท่านไม่ควรทำลายโลกทั้งหลายเลย กษัตริย์ผู้ครองแผ่นดินพึงอ่อนโยน สงบสำรวม และลงทัณฑ์เฉพาะเมื่อทัณฑ์นั้นสมควรแท้จริง

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• ekasya: of one (person)
• ekasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• kṛte: for the sake (of)
• kṛte: Hetu (हेतुः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; अर्थे: 'कृते' = 'for the sake of' (हेतौ)

• lokān: worlds/people
• lokān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन

• vināśayitum: to destroy
• vināśayitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√naś (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी-धात्वर्थ; कर्मणि प्रयोजनम्

• arhasi: you ought/are fit
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• yukta-daṇḍāḥ: having proper punishment (just in punishment)
• yukta-daṇḍāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त; क्त) + daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (यथायोग्यः दण्डः येषाम्/युक्तः दण्डः)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• mṛdavaḥ: gentle
• mṛdavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• praśāntāḥ: calm/peaceful
• praśāntāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√śam (धातु) → praśānta (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• vasudhā-adhipāḥ: lords of the earth (kings)
• vasudhā-adhipāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वसुधायाः अधिपाः)

Context

O, best of the eloquent ! this fight involves only one and not two. I do not see the footprints of a big army.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Rāja-dharma demands proportionate justice: the ruler must remain calm and punish only the guilty, not the world at large.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa explicitly argues against indiscriminate destruction and frames Rāma’s response in terms of kingly ethics.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Praśama (calmness) and yuktadaṇḍa (measured punishment), the hallmarks of righteous governance.