Shloka 15

मारीचोपदेश

प्रतिषेधः / Ravana Rejects Maricha’s Counsel and Orders the Golden Deer Deception

Devanagari script

गुणदोषौ न पृच्छामि क्षमं चात्मनि राक्षस।मयोक्तं तव चैतावत्संप्रत्यमितविक्रमः।।3.40.15।।

Transliteration

guṇadoṣau na pṛcchāmi kṣamaṃ cātmani rākṣasa |

mayoktaṃ tava caitāvat saṃpraty amitavikramaḥ ||

Translation

Hỡi rākṣasa—bậc có dũng lực vô biên—nay ta không hỏi ngươi về công hay tội, cũng chẳng hỏi điều hợp ý ngươi; lúc này ta chỉ nói với ngươi bấy nhiêu.

Word by Word

• guṇadoṣau: merits and faults
• guṇadoṣau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa + doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन); itaretara-dvandva: 'good and bad'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• pṛcchāmi: I ask
• pṛcchāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prach (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• kṣamam: what is proper/fit; welfare
• kṣamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ātmani: in/for yourself
• ātmani: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• rākṣasa: O demon
• rākṣasa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uktam: said; spoken
• uktam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); impersonal: 'it has been said'

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• etāvat: this much; so far
• etāvat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• samprati: now
• samprati: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samprati (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• amitavikramaḥ: (you) of immeasurable valor
• amitavikramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amita + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); compound: amitaḥ vikramaḥ yasya / amita-vikrama (अमित + विक्रम)

Context

O demon ! O extremely valiant demon ! I ask you(to do) this much now. I am not asking you whether it is good or bad or whether it is for my welfare or not.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Mārīca

FAQs

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

It illustrates adharma by contrast: refusing to consider right and wrong (guṇa-doṣa) is a rejection of dharmic deliberation.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa moves from argument to command, dismissing moral evaluation and pressing Mārīca toward compliance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The need for moral discernment is emphasized negatively—Rāvaṇa’s impatience with ethical scrutiny.