batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l27358-l27417
---
record_id: batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l27358-l27417
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK III. / Canto I. The Hermitage. / Canto V. Sarabhanga. / Canto VIII.
The Hermitage.; lines 27358-27417
start: '27358'
end: '27417'
translation: The Ramayan of Valmiki
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Distressed hermits tell Rama that shapeshifting forest fiends attack them
during sacred fire rites, torment vow-observing ascetics, and kill some for food.
The hermits say they could destroy the fiends through penance power but refrain
from using curses so as not to waste their accumulated merit. Rama promises aid,
declares that he must keep his oath to the Brahmans even above life and family,
thanks his wife for her affectionate counsel, and leads the way toward holy groves
with his bow.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Hermits say fiends of the wood can assume varied shapes and continue to afflict
them.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The attacks are said to occur when sacred rites of fire are due and when the
moons are full or new.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: The fiends are described as devourers of bleeding flesh who torment hermits
intent on vows.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The hermits seek refuge in Rama and identify Rama with Lakshman as their guardian
and deliverance.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The hermits say they possess powers of penance that could destroy the night-rovers,
but they restrain themselves to avoid wasting merit gained by years of toil.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Rama states that he has promised aid and must adhere to his word because he
holds truth dear.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: Rama says he might endure the loss of Lakshman, life, and his wife, but not
the denial of his promise or the breaking of his oath to Brahmans.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: Rama tells his wife that her words came from affection, thanks her, and says
loved ones are those who teach.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: After speaking to his wife, the bow-armed chieftain leads the way toward holy
groves.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Rama
description: A prince and bow-armed chieftain addressed by the hermits as their
refuge; he promises to protect them and refuses to break his oath.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Hermits, Brahmans, saints
description: A trembling, distressed group described as pure Brahmans and hermits
intent on vows, practicing penance and sacred fire rites while suffering attacks.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Fiends of the wood / giants / rovers of the night
description: Forest beings who wear varied shapes, devour bleeding flesh, attack
sacred rites, torment hermits, and kill saints for food.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Lakshman
description: Named with Rama as a guardian of the hermits and named by Rama among
those whose loss he might endure rather than break his promise.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Maithil monarch's child / Rama's wife
description: Rama's wife, addressed by him as dear and fair-faced; her prior speech
is described by Rama as affectionate counsel.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: oath-bound protector
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Rama promises aid, says he must adhere to his word, and says he cannot break
his oath to Brahmans.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:2
label: armed leader
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage calls him a bow-armed chieftain who leads the way to holy groves.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:3
label: petitioners seeking refuge
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The hermits cry out for help in distress and name Rama as their surest refuge.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: ascetic practitioners restraining destructive power
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: They say they are armed with penance powers but restrain the curse to preserve
accumulated merit.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: shapeshifting aggressors
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: They are described as forest fiends who wear varied shapes, attack rites,
torment hermits, and devour flesh.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: companion guardian
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The hermits say Rama with Lakshman is now their guardian.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: beloved counselor
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Rama says her words came from affection, thanks her speech, and addresses
her as his dear wife.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: sacred fire rites
literal_form: rites of fire
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: full and new moons
literal_form: changing moons, full or new
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: withheld curse
literal_form: restrained curse and unused penance power
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: binding promise
literal_form: promise, word, oath sworn to Brahmans
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: bow
literal_form: bow carried by the chieftain
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: holy groves
literal_form: holy groves beyond them
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Hermits petition Rama against forest fiends
summary: A distressed group of hermits tells Rama that shapeshifting fiends of the
wood attack them, especially during sacred fire rites, and they ask him to save
them.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:2
label: Ascetic restraint and appeal to protection
summary: The hermits explain that although their penance power could destroy the
night-rovers, they do not use curses because they do not wish to waste the merit
gained by years of toil.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Rama affirms his promise
summary: Rama says he promised aid, must keep his word, and would rather endure
the loss of Lakshman, life, and his wife than break his oath to Brahmans.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:4
label: Rama addresses his wife and proceeds
summary: Rama thanks his wife for affectionate counsel and then leads the way toward
holy groves as a bow-armed chieftain.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: shapeshifting forest demons afflict ascetics
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: The antagonists are forest fiends who wear varied shapes and torment hermits.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not describe individual transformations; it reports their
ability to assume varied shapes.
- id: motif:2
label: sacred fire rites attacked by hostile beings
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The hermits say the fiends attack when sacred rites of fire are due, including
at full and new moons.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage mentions sacred fire rites but does not explicitly describe
a sacrificial offering in this excerpt.
- id: motif:3
label: petition to a hero for protection
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Distressed hermits cry to Rama for help, call him their surest refuge, and
identify him with Lakshman as their guardian.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: No broader comparative taxonomy reference is assigned from the supplied
list.
- id: motif:4
label: oath-bound defense of the vulnerable
taxonomy_refs:
- covenant
basis: Rama says he has promised aid and must not break the oath sworn to Brahmans,
even above life and family ties.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is approximate; the passage describes an oath or
promise rather than a formal covenant.
- id: motif:5
label: ascetic power restrained to preserve merit
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The hermits say they could destroy the aggressors with penance power but
restrain the curse to avoid nullifying accumulated merit.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly matches this ascetic-restraint
pattern.
- id: motif:6
label: guided departure toward a holy place
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: After speaking, the bow-armed chieftain leads the way to holy groves beyond
them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage gives a brief movement toward holy groves, not a full departure
episode.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: quote
locator: lines 27366-27371
quote_or_summary: "“Fiends of the wood, who wear at will / Each varied shape, afflict
us still. / To thee in our distress we fly: / O help us, Ráma, or we die.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used for evidence.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 27372-27379
quote_or_summary: The hermits say that when sacred fire rites are due and when moons
are full or new, flesh-devouring fiends attack with power and torment hermits
intent on vows.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized evidence.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 27380-27391
quote_or_summary: "“We look around for help and see / Our surest refuge, Prince,
in thee” and “thou / With Lakshmaṇ art our guardian now.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used for evidence.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 27382-27389
quote_or_summary: The hermits say their penance powers could destroy the night-rovers,
but they refrain from using a curse because they do not want to bring to nothing
the merit gained by long toil, even though saints are slain for food.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized evidence.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 27392-27397
quote_or_summary: Rama says he promised ready aid to the praying hermits and, because
he holds truth dear, must still adhere to his word.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized evidence.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: lines 27398-27405
quote_or_summary: "“I might endure to be / Deprived of Lakshmaṇ, life, and thee,
/ But ne’er deny my promise, ne’er / To Bráhmans break the oath I sware.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt used for evidence.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 27406-27413
quote_or_summary: Rama says his wife's words came from affection, thanks her gentle
speech, and says those one loves are those one teaches.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized evidence.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 27414-27417
quote_or_summary: Rama speaks mildly to the Maithil monarch's child, his wife, and
then the bow-armed chieftain leads the way toward holy groves beyond them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized evidence.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the supplied passage. Motif taxonomy
assignments are cautious where the available taxonomy only approximately matches
the passage. No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not
explicitly compare this episode to another tradition or corpus.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Uses only the supplied passage and metadata; no external identifications beyond passage labels were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg__l27358-l27417
passage_sha256=2523c8a4c422908ee12805986940c4a77668258fc72279ad8bd306e1e706cce3