Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 85

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

अतिकायोतितेजस्वीसौरमस्त्रंसमादधे ।।।।तेनबाणंभुजङ्गाभंहेमपुङ्खमयोजयत् ।

Transliteration

atikāyo ’titejasvī sauram astraṃ samādadhe | tena bāṇaṃ bhujaṅgābhaṃ hemapuṅkham ayojayat ||

Translation

Atikāya, blazing with energy, took up the solar missile; and with it he set an arrow—serpent-like in form, and fitted with golden feathers—upon his bow.

Word by Word

• atikāyaḥ: Atikāya
• atikāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atikāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• atitejasvī: exceedingly radiant
• atitejasvī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atitejasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (ati+tejasvin = ‘having excessive brilliance’)

• sauram: solar (of the Sun)
• sauram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं (qualifies astram)

• astram: missile/weapon
• astram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samādadhe: took up/assumed
• samādadhe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धातु) + sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tena: with that
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; refers to that (astra) as instrument

• bāṇam: an arrow
• bāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhujaṅgābham: serpent-like
• bhujaṅgābham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhujaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (bhujaṅga-ābha = ‘serpent-like’)

• hemapuṅkham: gold-fletched
• hemapuṅkham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (hema-puṅkha = ‘gold-feathered’)

• ayojayat: fixed/attached (set)
• ayojayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yuj (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिजन्त), परस्मैपद

Context

Highly energetic Atikaya took a serpent-like arrow with gold feathers and charged it by the concentration of his mind on the power of Sun god.

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya
• Sūrya (Sun-god)
• saurāstra (solar missile)
• arrow (bāṇa)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights yuddha-dharma in its technical aspect: combatants employ recognized martial means (astra) with skill and intention; it implicitly frames war as rule-bound action rather than chaotic violence.

What is the narrative situation?

In the battle, Atikāya prepares a solar-charged missile and sets a serpent-like, gold-fletched arrow to be released against the opposing side.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial prowess and focused intent (saṅkalpa): Atikāya’s capacity to invoke and apply an astra-charge with precision.