Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 23

द्वन्द्वयुद्धप्रवृत्तिः

Dvandva-Yuddha: The Onset of Single Combats

Devanagari script

नदन् प्रतपनोघोरोनलंसोप्यन्वधावत ।नलःप्रतपनस्याशुपातयामासचक्षुषी ।।6.43.23।।

Transliteration

nadan pratapano ghoro nalaṃ so 'py anvadhāvata |

nalaḥ pratapanasyāśu pātayāmāsa cakṣuṣī || 6.43.23 ||

Translation

زأر براتابانا الرهيب واندفع نحو نالا؛ لكن نالا عاجله بضربة أسقطت عينيه، فأعماه.

Word by Word

• nadan: roaring
• nadan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nad (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शतृप्रत्यय), प्रथमा एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; Present active participle, nominative singular masculine

• pratapanaḥ: Pratapana
• pratapanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Masculine, nominative singular

• ghoraḥ: dreadful
• ghoraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with प्रतपनः; Masculine nominative singular

• nalam: Nala
• nalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Masculine accusative singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Pronoun, nominative singular masculine

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); emphatic/additive

• anvadhāvat: ran after / pursued
• anvadhāvat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Imperfect active 3rd sg

• nalaḥ: Nala
• nalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine nominative singular

• pratapanasya: of Pratapana
• pratapanasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Masculine genitive singular

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• pātayāmāsa: caused to fall / knocked down
• pātayāmāsa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: णिच् (causative) + लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Causative perfect active 3rd sg

• cakṣuṣī: (two) eyes
• cakṣuṣī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; Neuter accusative dual

Context

Dreadful Pratapan roared and jumped over Nala. Nala in turn gouged out the eyes of Pratapan.

Characters & Entities

• Pratapana
• Nala

FAQs

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

The verse reflects battlefield reciprocity: aggression is met with effective defense. Dharma in war includes stopping a violent assailant to protect one’s forces.

What is the narrative situation?

The rākṣasa Pratapana charges Nala; Nala counters by blinding him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Presence of mind and tactical decisiveness—Nala answers a direct charge with a disabling strike.