Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 69, Shloka 68

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

ददृशुश्चमहात्मानंहयपृष्ठेप्रतिष्ठितम् ।चरन्तंहरिसैन्येषुविद्याधरमहर्षयः ।।।।

Transliteration

dadṛśuś ca mahātmānaṃ haya-pṛṣṭhe pratiṣṭhitam | carantaṃ hari-sainyeṣu vidyādhara-maharṣayaḥ ||

Translation

The Vidyādhara great seers beheld that mighty one, firmly set upon the horse’s back, moving through the Vānara ranks.

Word by Word

• ददृशुः: saw
• ददृशुः: क्रिया (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परस्मैपद (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय

• हयपृष्ठे: on the horse's back
• हयपृष्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya-pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक; components: haya + pṛṣṭha)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: हयस्य पृष्ठम्

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: seated/established
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: कर्म (Karma; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati√sthā (धातु) > pratiṣṭhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to महात्मानम्

• चरन्तम्: moving about
• चरन्तम्: कर्म (Karma; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √car (धातु) > carant (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, वर्तमानकृदन्त/Pres. act. part.)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to महात्मानम्

• हरिसैन्येषु: among the monkey troops
• हरिसैन्येषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari-sainya (प्रातिपदिक; components: hari + sainya)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: हरीणां सैन्येषु

• विद्याधरमहर्षयः: Vidyādhara sages
• विद्याधरमहर्षयः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyādhara-maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक; components: vidyādhara + maharṣi)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: विद्याधराश्च ते महर्षयश्च (sense: ‘Vidyādhara-sages’)

Context

Vidhyadhara, the great sage, witnessed Naranthaka moving seated on the horseback firmly.

Characters & Entities

• Narāntaka (implied as 'mahātmā')
• Vidyādhara
• Maharṣi
• aśva (horse)

FAQs

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

Actions in war occur under witness—human and supra-human—implying accountability; dharma is not private but observed and judged.

What is the narrative situation?

Celestial/extraordinary seers observe Narāntaka’s movement through the Vānara formation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vigilant observation and discernment—seeing events clearly is a prerequisite to right response.