Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 15

मकराक्षस्य निर्गमनम्

The Deployment of Makaraksha and Ravana’s Fury

Devanagari script

तेकामरूपिणस्सरेदंष्ट्रिणःपिङ्गलेक्षणा ।मातङ्गाइवनर्दन्तोध्वस्तकेशाभयावहाः ।।6.78.14।।परिवार्यमहाकायामहाकायंखरात्मजम् ।अभिजघ्नुस्ततोहृष्टाश्चालयन्तोवसुन्धराम् ।।6.78.15।।

Transliteration

te kāmarūpiṇaḥ krūrā daṃṣṭriṇaḥ piṅgalekṣaṇāḥ | mātaṅgā iva nardanto dhvastakeśā bhayāvahāḥ | parivārya mahākāyā mahākāyaṃ kharātmajam | abhijaghnus tato hṛṣṭāś cālayanto vasundharām ||

Translation

This verse repeats the preceding description in the provided source stream (a duplication across 6.78.14–6.78.15 in this Southern Recension dataset): the fearsome, shape-shifting Rākṣasas roar like elephants, surround Makarākṣa (Khara’s son), and advance exultantly, making the earth tremble.

Word by Word

• परिवार्य: having surrounded
• परिवार्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund); ‘having surrounded’

• महाकायाः: huge-bodied
• महाकायाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय (प्रातिपदिक: महा + काय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महान् कायः येषाम्) विशेषणम् (ते)

• महाकायम्: huge-bodied
• महाकायम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय (प्रातिपदिक: महा + काय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः; विशेषणम् खरात्मजम्

• खरात्मजम्: the son of Khara
• खरात्मजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खरात्मज (प्रातिपदिक: खर + आत्मज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (खरस्य आत्मजः)

• अभिजघ्नुः: they struck/attacked
• अभिजघ्नुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• हृष्टाः: joyful
• हृष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘delighted’

• चालयन्तः: shaking
• चालयन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; causative sense from context ‘shaking/making move’

• वसुन्धराम्: the earth
• वसुन्धराम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

Context

Those who could change their form at will, cruel, with protruding teeth, yellow eyes, dishevelled hair, of frightful appearance, huge like elephants surrounding the son of Khara went joyously forward shaking the earth.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas (Niśācarāḥ)
• Makarākṣa
• Khara
• Earth (Vasundharā)

FAQs

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

As a duplicated descriptive passage, the ethical contrast remains: adharma amplifies fear and cruelty, while dharma is measured by protection, truth, and restraint.

What is the narrative situation?

The text stream reiterates the march of Makarākṣa’s terrifying Rākṣasa contingent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The dharmic virtue implied is steadfastness under intimidation—maintaining resolve without mirroring cruelty.