Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 101, Shloka 25

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

तंविमोक्षयितुंवीरश्चापमायम्यलक्ष्मणः ।रावणंशक्तिहस्तंवैशरवर्षैरवाकिरत् ।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ vimokṣayituṃ vīraś cāpam āyamya lakṣmaṇaḥ |

rāvaṇaṃ śaktihastaṃ vai śaravarṣair avākirat ||

Translation

Um ihn aus der Gefahr zu befreien, spannte der tapfere Lakṣmaṇa seinen Bogen und überschüttete Rāvaṇa, den Speer in der Hand, mit einem Regen von Pfeilen.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma; object of ‘vimokṣayitum’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विमोक्षयितुम्: to free
• विमोक्षयितुम्: प्रयोजन (purpose infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√muc (धातु √मुच्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to release/free’

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: कर्म (Karma; object of ‘āyamya’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आयम्य: having drawn (stretched)
• आयम्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yam (धातु √यम्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having stretched/drawn’

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: कर्म (Karma; object of ‘avākirat’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शक्तिहस्तम्: holding a javelin
• शक्तिहस्तम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of ‘रावणम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakti + hasta (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: शक्तिः हस्ते यस्य/हस्ते शक्तिः = ‘with a javelin in hand’

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्धसूचक/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• शरवर्षैः: with a shower of arrows
• शरवर्षैः: करण (Karaṇa/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शराणां वर्षम् = ‘shower of arrows’

• अवाकिरत्: covered (with arrows)
• अवाकिरत्: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√kṝ (धातु √कॄ/किर् ‘to scatter/cover’)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘covered/scattered over’

Context

Heroic Lakshmana stretched his bow and showered volley of arrows and covered Ravana who held javelin in hand.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• śakti (spear/javelin)
• cāpa (bow)
• śara (arrows)

FAQs

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

Righteous force is used as protection—violence is framed as defensive and duty-bound when shielding the vulnerable.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa counters Rāvaṇa’s spear-threat by suppressing him with concentrated arrow-fire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic courage: acting decisively to prevent harm rather than reacting after injury occurs.