Shloka 24

महोत्पात-लक्षणानि

Omens before Khara’s Assault

Devanagari script

देवराजमपि क्रुद्धो मत्तैरावतयायिनम्।।।।वज्रहस्तं रणे हन्यां किं पुनस्तौ कुमानुषौ।

Transliteration

dēvarājam api kruddhō mattairāvatayāyinam | vajrahastaṃ raṇē hanyāṃ kiṃ punas tau kumānuṣau ||

Translation

Wenn mich Zorn ergreift, könnte ich im Kampf sogar den König der Devas erschlagen—mit der Vajra in der Hand, reitend auf dem berauschten Airāvata; wie viel mehr erst jene zwei bloßen Menschen!

Word by Word

• देव-राजम्: the king of gods (Indra)
• देव-राजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक (even/also)

• क्रुद्धः: angered
• क्रुद्धः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √क्रुध् (धातु); क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, past participle)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; विशेषण

• मत्त-ऐरावत-यायिनम्: riding the intoxicated Airavata
• मत्त-ऐरावत-यायिनम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐरावत (प्रातिपदिक) + यायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √या, agent noun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; विशेषण (of devarāja)

• वज्र-हस्तम्: thunderbolt-handed
• वज्र-हस्तम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; विशेषण

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (Locative)

• हन्याम्: I would kill
• हन्याम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what (need be said)
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle: what then)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्य (again/further)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (here: द्वितीया as object understood)

• कु-मानुषौ: mere/lowly humans
• कु-मानुषौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु (उपसर्गवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; निन्दार्थक (pejorative)

Context

When angry, I can kill even (Indra) the wielder of the thunderbolt, rider of the intoxicated Airavata and lord of the gods. What to speak of these two petty humans?

Characters & Entities

• Khara
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Airāvata
• Vajra

FAQs

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

Dharma opposes arrogance that challenges rightful cosmic authority; contempt for others (calling them “mere humans”) is ethically corrosive.

What is the narrative situation?

Khara escalates his boast, claiming he could kill even Indra, so defeating Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa should be easy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and humility are the implied virtues; Khara’s speech foregrounds the vice of pride.