Shloka 14

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Aranyakanda 39): राक्षसस्य रामत्रासवर्णनम् / The Demon’s Account of Rama

Fear

Devanagari script

वृक्षे वृक्षे च पश्यामि चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्।गृहीतधनुषं रामं पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्।।।।

Transliteration

vṛkṣe vṛkṣe ca paśyāmi cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram | gṛhītadhanuṣaṁ rāmaṁ pāśahastam ivāntakam ||

Translation

میں ہر ہر درخت پر رام کو دیکھتا ہوں—چھال کے لباس اور سیاہ ہرن کی کھال میں ملبوس—کمان تھامے، گویا یم راج خود ہو جس کے ہاتھ میں پھندا ہے۔

Word by Word

• api: even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): even/also

• rāmasahasrāṇi: thousands of Ramas
• rāmasahasrāṇi: Karma (कर्म) (object of 'paśyāmi')
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: rāmāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi (thousands of Ramas)

• bhītaḥ: frightened
• bhītaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of speaker (implicit 'aham')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhī (भी धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'afraid'

• paśyāmi: I see
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (पश् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Uttama puruṣa, Ekavacana

• rāvaṇa: O Ravana
• rāvaṇa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana

• rāmabhūtam: filled with Rama
• rāmabhūtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of 'araṇyam'
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (PPP from √bhū)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā (Nominative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: rāmaḥ iva bhūtaṃ / rāmarūpaṃ (become Rama-filled)

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता) (with 'araṇyam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• sarvam: entire
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used as adjective to 'araṇyam'

• araṇyam: forest
• araṇyam: Karta (कर्ता) (of 'pratibhāti')
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pratibhāti: appears
• pratibhāti: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + √bhā (भा धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान) / Anubhāvaka (experiencer)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī/Dative? here Caturthī (Dative/4th) Ekavacana enclitic; 'to me'

Context

I see Rama in every tree, clad in bark and deer-skin, wielding the bow, holding a noose in hand like the god of death.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• bow (dhanuṣ)
• Antaka (Death/Yama)
• pāśa (noose)

FAQs

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

Wrongdoing produces inner punishment: guilt and fear make the righteous protector appear everywhere, urging the wrongdoer to desist.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker describes a haunted perception—seeing Rāma in every tree as an inescapable executioner of justice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s awe-inspiring justice: the protector becomes ‘Death’ to those committed to adharma.