Shloka 17

राज्ञः शङ्का

प्रत्याख्यानम् (Daśaratha’s Objections to Sending Rāma) — Bala Kanda, Sarga 20

Devanagari script

श्रूयते हि महावीर्यो रावणो राक्षसाधिप:।।।।साक्षाद्वैश्रवणभ्राता पुत्रो विश्रवसो मुने:।

Transliteration

śrūyate hi mahāvīryo rāvaṇo rākṣasādhipaḥ | sākṣād vaiśravaṇabhrātā putro viśravaso muneḥ |

Translation

确实传闻：罗波那（Rāvaṇa），罗刹之主，勇力惊人——他正是毗舍罗伐那（Vaiśravaṇa，俱毗罗 Kubera）之弟，也是圣者毗湿罗婆（Viśravas）之子。

Word by Word

• श्रूयते: is heard / is said
• श्रूयते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘it is heard/it is said’; आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• महावीर्यः: of great prowess
• महावीर्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रावणः: Rāvaṇa
• रावणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राक्षसाधिपः: king of the rākṣasas
• राक्षसाधिपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: राक्षसानाम् अधिपः = ‘lord of rākṣasas’

• साक्षात्: directly / evidently
• साक्षात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: directly/evidently)

• वैश्रवणभ्राता: brother of Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera)
• वैश्रवणभ्राता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: वैश्रवणस्य भ्राता = ‘Kubera’s brother’

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विश्रवसः: of Viśravas
• विश्रवसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśravas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘विश्रवसः’ इति समानाधिकरण-षष्ठी

Context

Ravana, king of rakshasas, is the brother of Kubera and son of ascetic Visravana. He is said to possess great prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kubera (Vaiśravaṇa)
• Viśravas
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Noble birth and powerful lineage do not guarantee dharma; even one connected to revered figures can choose adharma, so righteousness is measured by conduct, not ancestry.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha identifies Rāvaṇa through well-known genealogy to convey the seriousness of the threat to Viśvāmitra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment—Daśaratha distinguishes reputation and lineage from moral worth, underscoring that power can be misused.