Shloka 17

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

Fear

Devanagari script

रकारादीनि नामानि रामत्रस्तस्य रावण।रत्नानि च रथाश्चैव त्रासं संजनयन्ति मे।।।।

Transliteration

rakārādīni nāmāni rāmatrastasya rāvaṇa |

ratnāni ca rathāś caiva trāsaṃ sañjanayanti me ||

Translation

Hỡi Rāvaṇa, với kẻ đã khiếp sợ Rāma, ngay cả những tiếng bắt đầu bằng ‘ra’—như ratna (ngọc báu) hay ratha (chiến xa)—cũng khiến lòng ta rúng động kinh hãi.

Word by Word

• रकार-आदीनि: beginning with the letter 'ra'
• रकार-आदीनि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रकार + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies नामानि)

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• राम-त्रस्तस्य: of (me) frightened by Rama
• राम-त्रस्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राम + त्रस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (genitive: 'of one frightened by Rama')

• रावण: O Ravana
• रावण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• रत्नानि: gems
• रत्नानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• रथाः: chariots
• रथाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed, even
• एव: Nipata (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: just/indeed)

• त्रासम्: fear
• त्रासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संजनयन्ति: produce, generate
• संजनयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (here: dative sense 'to me' common as मे)

Context

O Ravana!, every name beginning with the letter 'Ra', such as Ratna (gems), Ratha (chariot), etc. strike terror in me.

Characters & Entities

• Marīca
• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Adharma leaves lasting impressions: fear and instability follow one who has acted wrongly. The verse frames Dharma as producing inner clarity, while wrongdoing breeds pervasive anxiety.

What is the narrative situation?

Marīca intensifies his warning by describing how even ordinary ‘ra’-initial words trigger terror because they echo the name ‘Rāma’.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthful self-disclosure: Marīca candidly admits his fear to dissuade Rāvaṇa from an unethical course.