Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 98, Shloka 28

महोदरवधः

The Slaying of Mahodara

Devanagari script

जग्मतुस्तौश्रमंवीरौबाहुयुधेपरंतपौ ।अजहारतदाखडगमदूरपरिवर्तिनम् ।।6.98.28।।राक्षसश्चर्मणासार्धंमहावेगोमहोदरः ।

Transliteration

jagmatustau śramaṃ vīrau bāhuyuddhe paraṃtapau |

ajahāra tadā khaḍgam adūraparivartinam ||6.98.28||

rākṣasaś carmaṇā sārdhaṃ mahāvego mahodaraḥ |

Translation

The two heroes—scourges of their foes—grew weary in their wrestling combat. Then Mahodara, the Rākṣasa, swift in movement, seized a sword lying nearby, along with a shield.

Word by Word

• जग्मतुः: went/reached
• जग्मतुः: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• श्रमम्: exhaustion
• श्रमम्: कर्म (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायां लक्ष्य/अवस्था (accusative of state reached)

• वीरौ: two heroes
• वीरौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तौ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• बाहुयुधे: in hand-to-hand combat
• बाहुयुधे: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + yudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बाहुभिः/बाहूनां युद्धम्)

• परंतपौ: scorchers of foes
• परंतपौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: param (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-प्रातिपदिक) + tapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (परान् तपयतः)

• अजहार: seized/took away
• अजहार: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: अधिकरण (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• खड्गम्: sword
• खड्गम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अदूरपरिवर्तिनम्: lying/turning not far away
• अदूरपरिवर्तिनम्: कर्म (Object-qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adūra (प्रातिपदिक) + parivartin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अदूरः परिवर्तिन्)

• राक्षसः: the rākṣasa
• राक्षसः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चर्मणा: with a shield
• चर्मणा: सह (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: सह (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning 'together with')

• महावेगः: of great speed
• महावेगः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् वेगः यस्य)

• महोदरः: Mahodara
• महोदरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-नाम (proper name)

Context

Likewise, Sugriva endowed with speed, a champion of Vanaras, took up a huge sword fallen down with a shield.

Characters & Entities

• Mahodara
• Rākṣasa
• Sword (khaḍga)
• Shield (carma)
• Sugrīva (implied as the opposing hero in this duel context)

FAQs

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

Even when exhausted, a warrior persists in duty; the verse highlights perseverance and readiness in kṣātra-dharma, where one must not abandon responsibility mid-conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

After intense hand-to-hand fighting, the combat escalates as Mahodara arms himself with sword and shield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Determination under strain—continuing the fight despite fatigue, reflecting disciplined resolve.