Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 25

इन्द्रजित्-वधः

The Slaying of Indrajit

Devanagari script

तस्तान् राक्षसान् सर्वांस्त्रिभिरेकैकमाहवे ।।।।अविध्यत्परमक्रुद्धश्शीघ्रास्त्रंसम्प्रदर्शयन् ।राक्षसेन्द्रसुतंचापिबाणौघैस्समताडयत् ।।।।

Transliteration

tatas tān rākṣasān sarvāṃs tribhir ekaikam āhave | avidhyat paramakruddhaḥ śīghrāstraṃ sampradarśayan | rākṣasendrasutaṃ cāpi bāṇaughaiḥ samatāḍayat ||

Translation

Then, in fierce anger, he struck all those rākṣasas in the fight—each one with three arrows—displaying swift weapon-skill; and even the son of the rākṣasa-king he battered with torrents of shafts.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (तस्मात्/अनन्तरम्) indicating sequence

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; refers to rākṣasān

• राक्षसान्: Rakshasas
• राक्षसान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; qualifies rākṣasān

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural; 'with three (arrows)'; ellipsis of bāṇaiḥ

• एकैकम्: each one (one by one)
• एकैकम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka+eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Iterative dvandva-like formation meaning 'one by one/each singly'; Neuter, Accusative, Singular used adverbially

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• अविध्यत्: struck, pierced
• अविध्यत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√vyadh (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada; 'pierced/struck'

• परमक्रुद्धः: extremely enraged
• परमक्रुद्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama+kruddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: parama+kruddha; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with implied subject (Lakṣmaṇa)

• शीघ्रास्त्रम्: swift weapon-technique
• शीघ्रास्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīghra+astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: 'swift weapon/quick missile-technique'; Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of sampradarśayan

• सम्प्रदर्शयन्: demonstrating
• सम्प्रदर्शयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pra-√dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/कृदन्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with subject; 'showing/demonstrating'

• राक्षसेन्द्रसुतम्: the Rakshasa-king's son
• राक्षसेन्द्रसुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa+indra+suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa chain: rākṣasa-indra-suta = 'son of the lord of Rakshasas'; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (emphasis/inclusion)

• बाणौघैः: with torrents of arrows
• बाणौघैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa+ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: 'flood/mass of arrows'; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• समताडयत्: struck hard, battered
• समताडयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√tāḍ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada; 'beat/struck repeatedly'

Context

Then extremely angry Lakshmana pierced all the Rakshasas quickly, each one with three arrows and struck them and even the son of Rakshasa king, exhibiting his skills.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rākṣasas (Indrajit’s forces)
• Indrajit (rākṣasendra-suta)

FAQs

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

Dharma appears as protection through decisive action: when the righteous side is threatened, timely and effective force is used to restrain adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa counterattacks, rapidly felling rākṣasas and pressing Indrajit with a concentrated volley.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Valor and tactical precision—controlled intensity rather than random violence.