Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 30

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

शरैर्निर्भिन्नहृदयान्कुञ्जरांस्तुरगांस्तथा।श्वापदाः परिकर्षन्तु नरांश्च निहतान्मया।।2.96.30।।

Transliteration

śarair nirbhinna-hṛdayān kuñjarāṃs turagāṃs tathā | śvāpadāḥ parikarṣantu narāṃś ca nihatān mayā || 2.96.30 ||

Translation

“Let wild beasts drag away the elephants, horses, and even the men—slain by me, their hearts pierced through by arrows.”

Word by Word

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: करण (Karaṇa: instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)

• निर्भिन्नहृदयान्: with pierced hearts
• निर्भिन्नहृदयान्: कर्म (Karma: object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भिन्न (भिद्-धातु + निर् + क्त) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (निर्भिन्नानि हृदयानि येषाम् = whose hearts are pierced); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'कुञ्जरान्/तुरगान्/नरान्' इत्यादीनां विशेषणम् (Masculine Accusative Plural)

• कुञ्जरान्: elephants
• कुञ्जरान्: कर्म (Karma: object of parikarṣantu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• तुरगान्: horses
• तुरगान्: कर्म (Karma: object of parikarṣantu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb/conjunction: likewise)

• श्वापदाः: wild beasts
• श्वापदाः: कर्ता (Kartā: subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वापद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• परिकर्षन्तु: let them drag away
• परिकर्षन्तु: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष् (धातु) + परि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (Imperative, 3rd person plural)

• नरान्: men
• नरान्: कर्म (Karma: object of parikarṣantu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• च: also
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• निहतान्: slain
• निहतान्: कर्म (Karma: object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'नरान्' इति विशेषणम् (Masculine Accusative Plural)

• मया: by me
• मया: करण (Karaṇa: agent/instrument in passive qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental Singular)

Context

Herds of elephants and buffaloes in the great woods and wild beasts frightened by lions are running in different directions.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma (implied)
• wild beasts (śvāpadāḥ)
• elephants (kuñjara)
• horses (turaga)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates adharma-born speech arising from anger: the moral lesson is that rage can distort judgment and produce violent intentions—hence dharma requires restraint and truth-aligned discernment.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana, provoked by fear of Bharata’s approach (misread as hostility), imagines slaughter and the aftermath on the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (through negative example), the need for self-control (dama/śama) is emphasized.