Shloka 1

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

Danu’s Curse Narrative and Rama’s Inquiry about Sita

Devanagari script

पुरा राम महाबाहो महाबलपराक्रम।रूपमासीन्ममा चिन्त्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्।।3.71.1।।यथा सोमस्य शक्रस्य सूर्यस्य च यथा वपुः।

Transliteration

purā rāma mahābāho mahābalaparākrama |

rūpam āsīn mama acintyaṃ triṣu lokeṣu viśrutam || 3.71.1 ||

yathā somasya śakrasya sūryasya ca yathā vapuḥ |

Translation

โอ พระราม ผู้มีพระกรยาวและเปี่ยมด้วยพละกำลังและความกล้าหาญ แต่ก่อนนั้นความงามของข้าเลื่องลือไปทั่วสามโลก เกินกว่าจินตนาการ ดุจดั่งรัศมีของพระจันทร์ พระอินทร์ และพระอาทิตย์

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• rāma: O Rāma
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular

• mahābāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahābāho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular; address-epithet of rāma

• mahā-bala-parākrama: O one of great strength and valor
• mahā-bala-parākrama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + bala + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular; address-epithet

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect/लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th), Singular

• acintyam: inconceivable
• acintyam: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-cintya (कृदन्त, √cint)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; adjective of rūpam

• triṣu: in three
• triṣu: Adhikaraṇa-viśeṣaṇa (अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, Locative (7th), Plural; qualifies lokeṣu

• lokeṣu: worlds
• lokeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Plural

• viśrutam: renowned
• viśrutam: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-śru (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; predicate adjective of rūpam

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (उपमा-अव्यय)

• somasya: of Soma (Moon)
• somasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• śakrasya: of Śakra (Indra)
• śakrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• sūryasya: of the Sun
• sūryasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable

• vapuḥ: body/appearance
• vapuḥ: Upameya (उपमेय; implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; in apposition to rūpam (implied)

Context

O long-armed, mighty and powerful Rama! in the past I was handsome like the Moon or Indra or the Sun inconceivable to all the three worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Soma (Moon)
• Shakra (Indra)
• Surya (Sun)
• three worlds (trailokya)

FAQs

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

The verse implicitly warns against pride in external beauty and status: worldly splendor is impermanent, and Dharma calls one to value inner restraint and right conduct over fame.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha begins recounting his former state to Rāma, introducing the backstory that explains how he fell into his current monstrous condition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s steadiness and attentive compassion are implied—he listens to an afflicted being’s history, a mark of kṣānti (forbearance) and dhārmic leadership.