Shloka 20

अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः — मारीचोपदेशः

Maricha’s Warning and the Memory of Rama’s Power

Devanagari script

नेच्छता तात मां हन्तुं तदा वीरेण रक्षितः।रामस्य शरवेगेन निरस्तोऽहमचेतनः।।3.38.20।।

Transliteration

necchatā tāta māṃ hantuṃ tadā vīreṇa rakṣitaḥ | rāmasya śaravegena nirasto 'ham acetanaḥ || 3.38.20 ||

Translation

Bạch hiền hữu, tuy vị dũng sĩ ấy chẳng hề muốn giết ta, ta vẫn được người giữ cho khỏi chết; bị sức lao của mũi tên Rāma hất văng, ta ngã xuống bất tỉnh.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• इच्छता: by (him) not intending
• इच्छता: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; (agent: 'by one not wishing')

• तात: O dear (father-like)
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• हन्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• वीरेण: by the hero
• वीरेण: Kartr-karana (कर्तृ-करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• रक्षितः: was protected
• रक्षितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शर-वेगेन: by the speed/force of (his) arrow
• शर-वेगेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• निरस्तः: was flung away
• निरस्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + अस्/अस् (धातु: 'to throw' in causative sense via nir-as)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अचेतनः: unconscious
• अचेतनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies अहम्)

Context

O dear! I was thrown into the deep sea and after a long time regained consciousness and returned to the city of Lanka.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kabandha

FAQs

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

Dharma is strength with restraint: even when punishing wrongdoing, one need not kill if killing is unnecessary.

What is the narrative situation?

Kabandha explains that Rāma struck and repelled him, but did not intend to kill him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate restraint (dayā) allied with heroism—Rāma’s controlled use of force.