Shloka 2

रावणरथवैभव–निमित्तदर्शन–राममातलिसंवादः

Ravana’s Chariot, Portents, and Rama–Matali Instructions

Devanagari script

स रथंसारथिःहृष्टंपरसैन्यप्रधर्षणम् ।गन्धर्वनगराकारंसमुच्छ्रितपाताकिनम् ।।6.108.1।।युक्तंपरमसम्पन्नैर्वजिभिर्हेममालिभिः ।युद्धोपकरणैःपूर्णंपताकाध्वजमालिनीम् ।।6.108.2।।ग्रसन्तमिवचाकाशंनादयन्तंवसुन्धराम् ।प्रणाशंपरनैन्यानांस्वनैन्यस्यप्रहर्षणम् ।।6.108.3।।रावणस्यरथंक्षिप्रंचोदयामाससारथिः ।

Transliteration

yuktaṃ paramasampannair vājibhir hemamālibhiḥ | yuddhopakaraṇaiḥ pūrṇaṃ patākādhvajamālinam ||

Translation

Er war mit überragend edlen Rossen bespannt, die goldene Girlanden trugen; mit Kriegsgerät angefüllt und mit Fahnen und Standarten geschmückt.

Word by Word

• samāpatantam: rushing forward
• samāpatantam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√pat (धातु) शतृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (rushing forward)

• sahasā: suddenly/with force
• sahasā: Visheshana (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: suddenly/forcibly)

• svanavantam: resounding
• svanavantam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svanavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessing sound; ringing)

• mahā-dhvajam: with a great standard
• mahā-dhvajam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महान् ध्वजः (having a huge banner/standard)

• ratham: chariot
• ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• rākṣasa-rājasya: of the Rakshasa-king
• rākṣasa-rājasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: राक्षसानां राजा (king of Rakshasas)

• nara-rājaḥ: the king of men (Rama)
• nara-rājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: नराणां राजा (king of men)

• dadarśa: saw
• dadarśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्मरण/निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• kṛṣṇa-vāji-samāyuktam: yoked with black horses
• kṛṣṇa-vāji-samāyuktam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vājin (प्रातिपदिक) + samāyukta (कृदन्त, sam-ā-√yuj) (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: कृष्णैः वाजिभिः समायुक्तम् (yoked with dark horses)

• yuktam: well-harnessed
• yuktam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त, √yuj)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• raudreṇa: with fierceness
• raudreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; here instrumental ‘with fierce’ (as quality)

• varcasā: splendour
• varcasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varcas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• dīpyamānam: shining
• dīpyamānam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dīp (धातु) यक् passive + शानच्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (shining)

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानवाचक

• ākāśe: in the sky
• ākāśe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• vimānam: an aerial car
• vimānam: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान (as comparison)

• sūrya-varcasam: sun-bright
• sūrya-varcasam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + varcas (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सूर्यस्य वर्चः इव (sun-bright)

• taḍit-patākā-gahanam: thick with lightning-like pennants
• taḍit-patākā-gahanam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: taḍit (प्रातिपदिक) + patākā (प्रातिपदिक) + gahana (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: तडित्-सदृशीभिः पताकाभिः गहनम् (dense with lightning-like flags)

• darśita-indra-āyudha-prabham: showing rainbow-like radiance
• darśita-indra-āyudha-prabham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: darśita (कृदन्त, √dṛś causative) + indra-āyudha (प्रातिपदिक, समास) + prabhā/prabha (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: दर्शिता इन्द्रायुधस्य प्रभा यस्मिन् (showing rainbow-like splendour)

Context

The arrows endowed with very high speed, glowing in radiance like the sun's radiance, holding the arrows, each one desirous of killing the other stood facing each other, came near, and started fighting like lions in the great war.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• chariot
• horses (vājin)

FAQs

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

Dharma teaching is implicit: material preparedness and military equipment do not substitute for moral legitimacy; righteous ends require righteous means.

What is the narrative situation?

The epic pauses to detail the enemy king’s war-chariot, heightening the scale of the coming duel.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic readiness is highlighted (equipment, horses, standards), though it is framed on the adharma side, foreshadowing that readiness alone cannot secure victory.