Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 51

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

रक्षसांभूषणस्थाभिर्भाभिस्स्वाभिश्चसर्वशः ।चक्रुस्तेसप्रभंव्योमहरयश्चाग्निभिस्सह ।।।।

Transliteration

rakṣasāṃ bhūṣaṇasthābhir bhābhiḥ svābhiś ca sarvaśaḥ | cakrus te saprabhaṃ vyoma harayaś cāgnibhiḥ saha ||

Translation

وبنور حُليِّ الرَّاكشاسا وببهائهم الذاتي أضاءت السماء من كل جانب؛ وكذلك الفانارا، مع نيرانهم، جعلوها تتلألأ.

Word by Word

• rakṣasām: of the Rakshasas
• rakṣasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (collective), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• bhūṣaṇa-sthābhiḥ: situated in ornaments
• bhūṣaṇa-sthābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (स्था/स्थ धातोः क्त/निष्ठा-आधारित प्रातिपदिक ‘sthā’ = placed/standing)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भा-शब्दस्य विशेषण; समासः—सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (bhūṣaṇeṣu sthāḥ = situated in ornaments)

• bhābhiḥ: by/with splendors (lights)
• bhābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• svābhiḥ: their own
• svābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण भाभिः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• sarvaśaḥ: everywhere
• sarvaśaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvaśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (in every way/throughout)

• cakruḥ: made/did
• cakruḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• sa-prabham: radiant/with glow
• sa-prabham: Karma (कर्म/object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपपद) + prabhā/prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण व्योम; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (sa-prabham = with radiance)

• vyoma: the sky
• vyoma: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyoman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• harayaḥ: monkeys
• harayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject; co-agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• agnibhiḥ: with fires/torches
• agnibhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/associative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगार्थक-अव्यय (with)

Context

The Rakshasas by the effulgence of ornaments and by themselves illumined all over the sky like monkeys did with torches.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Ornaments (bhūṣaṇa)
• Sky (vyoma)
• Vānaras (harayaḥ)

FAQs

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

Symbolically, light reveals and confronts: in the Ramayana’s moral universe, satya (truth) brings things into the open, even amid war’s confusion.

What is the narrative situation?

As both sides gather, the glow of Rākṣasa ornaments and the Vānara torches illuminates the sky, marking the battlefield’s intensity.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast preparedness—both armies are visibly ready; the Vānaras’ torchlight especially signals purposeful vigilance.