batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l2946-l3017
---
record_id: batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l2946-l3017
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
passage_locator:
label: Canto X. Rishyasring Invited. / Canto XI. The Sacrifice Decreed. / Canto
XII. The Sacrifice Begun. / Canto XIII. The Sacrifice Finished.; lines 2946-3017
start: '2946'
end: '3017'
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: The gods petition Náráyaṇ/Vishnu to be born as King Daśaratha’s offspring
through his three queens, divided into four, so that in human form he can slay
Rávaṇ. They explain that Rávaṇ’s boon protects him from all living things except
man. Vishnu promises to take mortal birth, kill Rávaṇ and his kin, and reign on
earth as a human king.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The gods say King Daśaratha has performed a horse sacrifice and longs for
sons.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The gods ask the deity to be born as Daśaratha’s seed through his three queens
and to divide himself into four.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Rávaṇ is described as defying heaven and afflicting gods, bards, saints, spirits,
and maidens.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The gods state that Rávaṇ received a boon from the mighty Sire that protected
his life from all living things except man.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Vishnu promises to kill Rávaṇ, his ministers, and his kin in battle.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: Vishnu says he will reign in the mortal world as a human king and guard the
earth.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Gods, saints, nymphs, and minstrels sing hymns asking the champion of the
gods to appear as man and slay Rávaṇ.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: King Daśaratha
description: A king who has performed the sacrificial killing of the steed and longs
for sons; he has three queens.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Suppliant gods
description: A collective group who petition Náráyaṇ/Vishnu to take human birth
and defeat Rávaṇ.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Náráyaṇ / Vishnu
description: The supreme deity addressed by the gods, asked to incarnate in human
form, and promising to slay Rávaṇ and reign as a human king.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Rávaṇ
description: A fierce fiend and foe of the gods whose boon leaves him vulnerable
to man alone.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Brahmá / the mighty Sire
description: The divine giver of Rávaṇ’s protective boon, addressed by Vishnu along
with the suppliants.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Daśaratha’s three queens
description: Three royal women through whom the gods ask the deity to be born as
Daśaratha’s offspring.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
roles:
- id: role:1
label: divine petitioners
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: They pray to Náráyaṇ/Vishnu and explain the need for him to take human form.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: role:2
label: divine incarnating champion
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: He is asked to appear as man and promises to kill Rávaṇ in battle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: human royal father sought for divine birth
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The gods ask that the deity be born as Daśaratha’s seed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: boon-protected demon antagonist
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Rávaṇ is described as protected from most beings by a boon and as a tormentor
of gods and saints.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:5
label: boon-granting deity
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The mighty Sire is said to have granted protection to Rávaṇ after penance.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: royal mothers for divine offspring
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The gods ask that the deity be born through Daśaratha’s three queens.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: sacrificial steed
literal_form: The horse or steed slain in Daśaratha’s sacrifice.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: fourfold division
literal_form: The deity is asked to divide himself into four as Daśaratha’s offspring.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: human form
literal_form: The mortal human form requested as the means to defeat Rávaṇ.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: Rávaṇ as thorn and plague
literal_form: Rávaṇ is described with the images of a thorn and a plague feared
by saints and hermits.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Gods petition for divine birth
summary: The gods describe Daśaratha’s desire for sons and ask Náráyaṇ/Vishnu to
be born through the king’s three queens, divided into four, to slay Rávaṇ.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Rávaṇ’s boon and vulnerability explained
summary: The gods explain that Rávaṇ won a boon through penance that protected him
from heavenly and living foes, with man excepted, making human birth necessary
for his death.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Vishnu’s vow and heavenly hymn
summary: Vishnu promises to kill Rávaṇ and his kin, reign as a human king on earth,
and is praised by celestial beings as the champion who will appear as man.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: divine birth through royal household
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
- divine_parent_child
basis: The gods ask the deity to be born as Daśaratha’s offspring through his three
queens.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The passage announces the birth plan but does not narrate the birth itself.
- id: motif:2
label: deity assumes human form to defeat a protected demon
taxonomy_refs:
- culture_hero
basis: The gods request that Vishnu take human form because Rávaṇ can be killed
only by man, and Vishnu promises to slay him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The available taxonomy lacks a specific incarnation motif; the assigned
family is approximate.
- id: motif:3
label: horse sacrifice connected to desire for sons
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
- sacred_birth
basis: Daśaratha is said to have slain the sacrificial steed while longing for sons,
immediately before the request for divine birth as his offspring.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage mentions the sacrifice briefly and does not describe its procedure
or outcome in detail.
- id: motif:4
label: ascetic penance wins protective boon
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: Rávaṇ is said to have gained the favor of the mighty Sire through long, dire
penance and received protection from most living foes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The exchange is reported in summary by the gods, not narrated directly.
- id: motif:5
label: divine kingship on earth
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Vishnu states that he will reign in the mortal world as a human king and
guard the earth.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage gives the promise of rule but does not yet show coronation
or royal administration.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 2946-2961
quote_or_summary: The gods say Daśaratha has slain the sacrificial steed, longs
for sons, has three queens, and ask the deity to be born as his seed, divided
into four.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 2962-2973
quote_or_summary: The gods ask the Lord to take man’s nature and slay Rávaṇ, described
as a scourge and thorn who defies heaven and afflicts divine and saintly beings.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 2980-2995
quote_or_summary: The gods explain that Rávaṇ won Brahmá’s favor through severe
penance and was protected from all living things except man, so only a man can
kill him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 2996-3007
quote_or_summary: Vishnu tells Brahmá and the suppliants to dismiss fear, promises
to kill Rávaṇ and his followers, and says he will reign on earth as a human king.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 3008-3017
quote_or_summary: Celestial beings sing hymns to the champion of the gods, calling
on him to appear as man and slay cruel Rávaṇ, the feared thorn and unstoppable
plague.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The passage clearly identifies figures, petitions, boon logic, and divine-human
birth motifs. Taxonomy mapping is partly approximate because no specific incarnation
category is supplied. No comparison claims were added because the passage itself
does not make an explicit cross-textual comparison.
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: |-
Used only the supplied passage and metadata; all interpretive motif labels are tied to cited passage evidence.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg__l2946-l3017
passage_sha256=46a3a9c05906f60e2d93cbd2b2ea985a880d6880e9878c285de4f63eb27d4913