Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 79

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

तस्तान्राक्षसोत्सृष्टान्शरौघान्राघवानुजः ।।।।असम्ब्रान्तःप्रचिच्छेदनिशितैर्बहुभिश्शरैः ।

Transliteration

tatas tān rākṣasotsṛṣṭān śaraughān rāghavānujaḥ | asambrāntaḥ praciccheda niśitair bahubhiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Then Rāghava’s younger brother, unshaken, cut down those torrents of arrows shot by the Rākṣasa with many keen shafts of his own.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (काल/क्रम)

• tān: those
• tān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• rākṣasa-utsṛṣṭān: released by the rākṣasa
• rākṣasa-utsṛṣṭān: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + utsṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √sṛj धातु with ut-)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; PPP (क्त) 'released by the rākṣasa'

• śara-oghān: volleys of arrows
• śara-oghān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'flood/volley of arrows'

• rāghava-anujaḥ: Rāghava’s younger brother (Lakṣmaṇa)
• rāghava-anujaḥ: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक) + anuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'younger brother of Rāghava'

• asambrāntaḥ: unperturbed
• asambrāntaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-sambrānta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √bhram with sam-)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; negative prefix a-; 'unconfused/unshaken'

• praciccheda: cut down/shattered
• praciccheda: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु) with pra-
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• niśitaiḥ: sharp
• niśitaiḥ: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśita (कृदन्त, √śi/√niś धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; PPP (क्त) 'sharpened' qualifying śaraiḥ

• bahubhiḥ: many
• bahubhiḥ: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; qualifying śaraiḥ

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Context

Raghava's brother remained unconfounded and then he shattered the volley of many sharp arrows released by the Rakshasa.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa (Rāghavānuja)
• Atikāya (implied)

FAQs

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

Fearlessness rooted in duty: Lakṣmaṇa’s calm defense embodies righteous steadfastness—protecting the cause of Satya without panic.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa counters Atikāya’s arrow-volley by cutting it down mid-flight.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure (asambrama) and protective valor in service of Dharma.