Shloka 22

मारीचोपदेशः — Maricha’s Counsel to Ravana

On Rama’s Dharma and the Peril of Abduction

Devanagari script

जीवितं च सुखं चैव राज्यं चैव सुदुर्लभम्।यदीच्छसि चिरं भोक्तुं मा कृथा रामविप्रियम्।।।।

Transliteration

jīvitaṃ ca sukhaṃ caiva rājyaṃ caiva sudurlabham | yadīcchasi ciraṃ bhoktuṃ mā kṛthā rāmavipriyam ||

Translation

若你愿长久享受生命、安乐，乃至那得来不易的王国，就莫做招致罗摩不悦之事。

Word by Word

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म—life (to enjoy)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis: indeed/also)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• सु-दुर्लभम्: very hard to obtain
• सु-दुर्लभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—very hard to obtain

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (if)

• इच्छसि: you desire
• इच्छसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः— you desire

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (for a long time)

• भोक्तुम्: to enjoy
• भोक्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्यय; अर्थः— to enjoy

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (prohibitive particle)

• कृथाः: do (incur)
• कृथाः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; निषेधेन सह (मा) = prohibitive; अर्थः—do (not do)

• राम-विप्रियम्: Rama's displeasure
• राम-विप्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—रामस्य विप्रियम् (what is displeasing to Rama)

Context

If you want to enjoy your life, happiness and even the kingdom which is not easily attainable for long, do not incur the displeasure of Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Mārīca
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāma
• kingdom

FAQs

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

Dharma is self-restraint in power: a ruler preserves life and prosperity by avoiding injustice that provokes righteous retribution.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca gives pragmatic counsel to Rāvaṇa: abandon the plan that will inevitably draw Rāma’s wrath.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Nīti (statecraft grounded in ethics): long-term welfare comes from avoiding adharma, not from indulging desire.