Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 102

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

न शशाकरुजंकर्तुंयुधितस्यनरोत्तमः ।अथैनमभ्युपागम्यवायुर्वाक्यमुवाच ह ।।।।

Transliteration

na śaśāka rujaṃ kartuṃ yudhi tasya narottamaḥ | atha enam abhyupāgamya vāyur vākyam uvāca ha ||

Translation

The best among men [Lakshmana] was unable to cause any injury to him [Atikaya] in the battle. Then, the Wind-god [Vayu] approached him and spoke these words.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• शशाक: was able
• शशाक: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शक् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुजम्: injury/hurt
• रुजम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुज्/रुजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do/make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose of ability)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); क्रियार्थक

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• नरोत्तमः: best of men
• नरोत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (narottama = 'best of men'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अभ्युपागम्य: having approached
• अभ्युपागम्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + उप + √गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having approached)

• वायुः: Vāyu (Wind-god)
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed (narrative)
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; narrative emphasis)

Context

Wind god (Vayu) having come to the best of men, Lakshmana, spoke to him that in battle it is not possible to injure him or kill him.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Vayu
• Atikaya

FAQs

Why was Lakshmana unable to injure his opponent in this verse?

Lakshmana was fighting Atikaya, who possessed impenetrable armor granted by Lord Brahma, rendering ordinary arrows ineffective.

What role does Vayu play in this context?

Vayu acts as a divine guide, intervening to reveal the secret method (using the Brahmastra) required to defeat the invincible adversary, ensuring the victory of Dharma.