Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 15, Shloka 32

पञ्चदशः सर्गः — देवकृत-प्रार्थना, रावणवधोपायः, विष्णोः मानुषावतारनियोजनम्

Sarga 15: The Devas’ Petition, the Means to Slay Ravana, and Vishnu’s Commission to Incarnate as Man

Devanagari script

तमुद्धतं रावणमुग्रतेजसंप्रवृद्धदर्पं त्रिदशेश्वरद्विषम्।विरावणं साधुतपस्विकण्टकंतपस्विनामुद्धर तं भयावहम्।।1.15.32।।

Transliteration

tam uddhataṁ rāvaṇam ugratejasaṁ pravṛddhadarpaṁ tridaśeśvaradviṣam | virāvaṇaṁ sādhu-tapasvi-kaṇṭakaṁ tapasvinām uddhara taṁ bhayāvaham || 1.15.32 ||

Translation

Xin nhổ tận gốc Rāvaṇa đáng sợ ấy—kẻ ngạo mạn, uy lực dữ dội, kiêu mạn phồng lên, thù địch của Thiên chủ Indra; kẻ khiến các cõi vang tiếng than khóc, là gai nhọn trên đường tu của các bậc hiền thánh khổ hạnh, nỗi kinh hoàng của các đạo sĩ.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uddhatam: arrogant, haughty
• uddhatam: Karma (कर्म) — adjectival to object
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uddhata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of 'rāvaṇam'

• rāvaṇam: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Proper noun, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ugra-tejasam: of fierce splendor/power
• ugra-tejasam: Karma (कर्म) — adjectival to object
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘ugraṃ tejaḥ yasya/ugra-tejāḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of 'rāvaṇam'

• pravṛddha-darpam: with fully grown pride
• pravṛddha-darpam: Karma (कर्म) — adjectival to object
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pravṛddha (प्रातिपदिक) + darpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘pravṛddhaḥ darpaḥ yasya’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of 'rāvaṇam'

• tridaśeśvara-dviṣam: enemy of Indra (lord of the gods)
• tridaśeśvara-dviṣam: Karma (कर्म) — appositional to object
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + dviṣ (प्रातिपदिक from √dviṣ)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): tridaśānām īśvarasya dviṭ (enemy of the lord of the gods); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to 'rāvaṇam'

• virāvaṇam: the one who makes (others) cry aloud
• virāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म) — appositional to object
• Type: Noun
• Root: virāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); epithet in apposition to 'rāvaṇam'

• sādhu-tapasvi-kaṇṭakam: a thorn to the virtuous ascetics
• sādhu-tapasvi-kaṇṭakam: Karma (कर्म) — appositional to object
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक) + tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष), sense: ‘sādhūnām tapasvināṃ kaṇṭakaḥ’ (thorn/vexation to the good ascetics); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to 'rāvaṇam'

• tapasvinām: of the ascetics
• tapasvinām: Śeṣa/Genitive relation (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• uddhara: uproot/remove (kill)
• uddhara: Kriyā (क्रिया) — command
• Type: Verb
• Root: √uddhṛ (उद्धृ धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्, imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); object of 'uddhara'

• bhayāvaham: fear-bringing, dreadful
• bhayāvaham: Karma (कर्म) — adjectival to object
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक from √vah with ā-)
• Form: Upapada-tatpuruṣa (उपपद-तत्पुरुष) ‘bhayaṃ āvahati iti’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of 'tam/rāvaṇam'

Context

"Therefore, uproot that mighty Ravana possessing frightful prowess, inflamed pride, limitless insolence causing agony to the three worlds, a source of vexation to ascetics and a dreadful enemy of Indra.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Indra (Tridaśeśvara)
• Ascetics (Tapasvins)
• Viṣṇu (implied addressee)

FAQs

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

Dharma demands the removal of oppression that targets the righteous; unchecked pride and violence against ascetics is adharma that must be uprooted.

What is the narrative situation?

The celestial beings describe Rāvaṇa’s threat and urge Viṣṇu to eliminate him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral clarity: naming adharma as adharma and seeking protection through righteous appeal.