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Shloka 10

मारीचवधः — The Slaying of Maricha

Golden Deer Deception

स तमुन्मादयामास मृगरूपो निशाचरः।मृगैः परिवृतो वन्यैरदूरात्प्रत्यदृश्यत।।।।

sa tam unmādayāmāsa mṛgarūpo niśācaraḥ | mṛgaiḥ parivṛto vanyair adūrāt pratyadṛśyata ||

وہ رات میں پھرنے والا راکشس ہرن کی صورت دھار کر رام کی توجہ کو جان بوجھ کر بھڑکانے لگا؛ جنگلی جانوروں سے گھرا ہوا وہ نزدیک ہی پھر دکھائی دیا۔

saḥhe (the demon)
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
tamhim
tam:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
unmādayāmāsamade (him) frantic/excited
unmādayāmāsa:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootut-√mad (धातु) [causative]
Formणिच्-प्रत्यय (Causative) + लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
mṛga-rūpaḥin deer-form
mṛga-rūpaḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—मृगस्य रूपम् (in the form of a deer); निशाचरस्य विशेषणम्
niśācaraḥnight-ranger (demon)
niśācaraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject; apposition to saḥ)
TypeNoun
Rootniśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
mṛgaiḥwith deer/animals
mṛgaiḥ:
Sahakāraka (सह/association; instrumental of accompaniment)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन
parivṛtaḥsurrounded
parivṛtaḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpari-√vṛt (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निशाचरस्य विशेषणम्
vanyaiḥwild/forest-dwelling
vanyaiḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvanya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; mṛgaiḥ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्
adūrātfrom nearby
adūrāt:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootadūra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from not far’
pratyadṛśyatawas seen/appeared
pratyadṛśyata:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootprati-√dṛś (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘was seen/appeared’

That demon transformed himself into a deer and, surrounded by the animals of the forest at close range, attracted his attention.

M
Mārīca (implied: the niśācara in deer-form)
R
Rāma (implied: the one enticed)

FAQs

Dharma includes vigilance against adharma’s strategies: deception often imitates the natural and attractive to mislead the righteous.

Mārīca, disguised as a deer, reappears near Rāma, using the forest setting and animals to make the illusion seem believable.

By contrast, the verse spotlights the demon’s deceit; it implicitly calls for the virtue of alert discernment in the face of manipulation.