Shloka 32

मारीचाश्रमगमनम्

Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

एकपादेन धर्मात्मा भक्षयित्वा तदामिषम्।।।।निषादविषयं हत्वा शाखया पतगोत्तमः।प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे मोक्षयित्वा महामुनीन्।।।।

Transliteration

ekapādena dharmātmā bhakṣayitvā tadāmiṣam | niṣādaviṣayaṃ hatvā śākhayā patagottamaḥ | praharṣam atulaṃ lebhe mokṣayitvā mahāmunīn ||

Translation

دھرم آتما، پرندوں میں برتر، ایک پاؤں پر کھڑا ہو کر اُس گوشت کو کھا گیا؛ پھر اسی شاخ کے ذریعے نِشادوں کی بستی کو نیست و نابود کیا، اور مہامنیوں کو رہائی دلا کر بے مثال مسرّت کو پہنچا۔

Word by Word

• eka-pādena: with/standing on one foot
• eka-pādena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; एकपाद- (एकेन पादेन) = instrumental of means/stance

• dharmātmā: the righteous-souled one
• dharmātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharmātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: धर्मः आत्मा यस्य सः

• bhakṣayitvā: having eaten
• bhakṣayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having eaten)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of āmiṣam

• āmiṣam: meat/flesh
• āmiṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āmiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• niṣāda-viṣayam: the Niṣādas' settlement/region
• niṣāda-viṣayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣāda (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: निषादानां विषयः

• hatvā: having destroyed
• hatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having slain/destroyed)

• śākhayā: with a branch
• śākhayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śākhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• pataga-uttamaḥ: the best of birds (Garuḍa)
• pataga-uttamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pataga (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: उत्तमः पतगः

• praharṣam: joy/delight
• praharṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• atulam: immeasurable
• atulam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण of praharṣam

• lebhe: obtained/felt
• lebhe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mokṣayitvā: having freed
• mokṣayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु) (णिच् causative: mokṣay-)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; causative sense: having released/delivered

• mahā-munīn: great sages
• mahā-munīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: महान्तः मुनयः

Context

Righteous Garuda, the best among the birds, stood on one foot and ate the flesh (of elephant and tortoise) and with the branch of the tree, destroyed the settlement of the demons. Over the destruction of the demons and deliverance of the great seers he felt immeasurable happiness.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• mahāmuni (great sages)
• elephant

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the holy and the innocent: liberation of sages and removal of predatory violence are presented as righteous ends, and joy is grounded in service to that moral order.

What is the narrative situation?

After carrying away the branch to save the seers, Garuḍa consumes the prey and destroys the threatening settlement, thereby freeing the sages from danger.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Righteous protectiveness—courage and strength disciplined by dharma, culminating in the rescue (mokṣaṇa) of sages.