Shloka 18

अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः — मारीचोपदेशः

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

Devanagari script

अवजानन्नहं मोहाद्बालोऽयमिति राघवम्।विश्वामित्रस्य तां वेदिमभ्यधावं कृतत्वरः।।3.38.18।।

Transliteration

avajānann ahaṁ mohād bālo ’yam iti rāghavam |

viśvāmitrasya tāṁ vediṁ abhyadhāvaṁ kṛta-tvaraḥ || 3.38.18 ||

Translation

我因迷妄而轻视罗伽婆，心想“他不过是个孩子”；于是仓促奔向毗湿瓦密多的祭坛。

Word by Word

• tena: by him
• tena: Karaṇa (करण; agent/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• muktaḥ: released
• muktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of bāṇaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √muc)
• Form: क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि (released)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक

• bāṇaḥ: arrow
• bāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; implied with muktaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śitaḥ: sharp
• śitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of bāṇaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• śatru-nibarhaṇaḥ: enemy-destroying
• śatru-nibarhaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of bāṇaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatru + nibarhaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शत्रूणां निबर्हणः)

• tena: by that (arrow)
• tena: Karaṇa (करण; instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता; passive predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• āhataḥ: struck
• āhataḥ: Karta (कर्ता; aham with predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āhata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ā-√han)
• Form: क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि (struck)

• kṣiptaḥ: thrown
• kṣiptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; aham with predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣipta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kṣip)
• Form: क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि (thrown)

• samudre: into/in the sea
• samudre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• śata-yojane: at a distance of a hundred yojanas
• śata-yojane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/measure-distance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata + yojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (शतं योजने)

Context

I entered at once and lifted my weapons. Rama saw me and unperturbed, started stringing his bow.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Viśvāmitra
• vedi (sacrificial altar)
• Mārīca

FAQs

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

Moha (delusion) leads to adharma: contempt for a righteous person and an attack on the sacrificial altar are portrayed as moral blindness that invites correction.

What is the narrative situation?

Mārīca admits he misjudged Rāma’s capability and rushed to violate the sacrificial space of Viśvāmitra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence for the sacred (yajña-vedi) is the implied virtue; violating it marks the aggressor as adharmic and justifies protective action.