Shloka 14

सुन्दरकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः

हनुमद्वृत्तान्तकथनम्, सीताभिज्ञान-प्रदानम्, लङ्कादाह-वर्णनम्

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा नगानां चरितं महेन्द्रः पाकशासनः।।।।चिच्छेद भगवान् पक्षान्वज्रेणैषां सहस्रशः।

Transliteration

śrutvā nagānāṃ caritaṃ mahendraḥ pākaśāsanaḥ | ciccheda bhagavān pakṣān vajreṇaiṣāṃ sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

পর্বতদের কীর্তি-কার্য শুনে, পাকশাসক মহেন্দ্র ভগবান তাঁর বজ্র দ্বারা তাদের ডানাগুলি সহস্র সহস্র করে ছিন্ন করলেন।”

Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) > śrutvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वा): having heard

• nagānām: of the mountains
• nagānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Gen pl)

• caritam: deeds, conduct, story
• caritam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: carita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Acc sg)

• mahendraḥ: Mahendra (Indra)
• mahendraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom sg); समास: महा + इन्द्र

• pākaśāsanaḥ: Punisher of Pāka (epithet of Indra)
• pākaśāsanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāka-śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom sg); समास: पाकस्य शासकः/शासनः (one who punished Pāka)

• ciccheda: cut off
• ciccheda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• bhagavān: the blessed/lordly one
• bhagavān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom sg); honorific epithet qualifying mahendraḥ

• pakṣān: wings
• pakṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Acc pl)

• vajreṇa: with the thunderbolt
• vajreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instr sg)

• eṣām: of these (mountains)
• eṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Gen pl)

• sahasraśaḥ: in thousands
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): in thousands, by thousands

Context

'Mahendra, the killer of ogre Paka, heard the story (of the cruel deeds) of mountains and cut off their wings into a thousand pieces with his thunderbolt.

Characters & Entities

• Mahendra (Indra)
• vajra (thunderbolt)
• mountains (nagāḥ)

FAQs

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

Protection of cosmic and social order: divine power intervenes to restrain destructive forces when their conduct threatens the world’s stability.

What is the narrative situation?

A mythic exemplum is cited: Indra, upon learning of the mountains’ harmful conduct, removes their wings to prevent further harm.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Just governance through restraint: the emphasis is on curbing wrongdoing to safeguard the many.