Shloka 14

दनु-शापकथा तथा सीताहरण-प्रश्नः

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

Devanagari script

सोऽहं भुजाभ्यां दीर्घाभ्यां संकृष्यास्मिन्वने चरान्।।3.71.14।।सिंहव्दिपमृगव्याघ्रान् भक्षयामि समन्ततः।

Transliteration

so 'haṃ bhujābhyāṃ dīrghābhyāṃ saṅkṛṣyāsmin vane carān || 3.71.14 ||

siṃha-dvipa-mṛga-vyāghrān bhakṣayāmi samantataḥ |

Translation

انہی لمبے بازوؤں سے میں اس جنگل میں پھرنے والے جانوروں کو گھسیٹ لاتا ہوں—شیر، ہاتھی، ہرن اور ببر شیر—اور ہر سمت سے انہیں نگل جاتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhujābhyām: with (my) two arms
• bhujābhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• dīrghābhyām: long
• dīrghābhyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; विशेषण (भुजाभ्याम्)

• saṅkṛṣya: having dragged
• saṅkṛṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√kṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), अर्थः 'having dragged/pulled'

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• carān: moving (creatures)
• carān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: carat (कृदन्त; √car धातु, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त—'moving/roaming' (प्राणिनः)

• siṃha-dvipa-mṛga-vyāghrān: lions, elephants, deer and tigers
• siṃha-dvipa-mṛga-vyāghrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + dvipa (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (lions+elephants+deer+ tigers)

• bhakṣayāmi: I eat, devour
• bhakṣayāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• samantataḥ: on all sides
• samantataḥ: Deśa-viśeṣaṇa (देशविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samantataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (everywhere/all around)

Context

Stretching the long arms in the forest, I dragged creatures like lions, tigers, elephants and deer moving in the forest and ate them.

Characters & Entities

• Kabandha
• Rama
• forest (Aranya)
• lions
• elephants
• deer
• tigers

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how a corrupted condition can normalize harm; Dharma calls for liberation from such compulsions and for restoring right order rather than celebrating power over the weak.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha describes his day-to-day predation enabled by his unnatural arms, explaining why he is a threat to travelers in the forest.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

For Rāma, the implied virtue is protective kingship: confronting predatory forces that endanger the innocent is a dhārmic duty.