Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 110, Shloka 33

रामरावणयोर्युद्धवैषम्यं तथा रावणशिरश्छेदनम्

Rama–Ravana Duel Intensifies; Ravana’s Heads Severed and Reappear

Devanagari script

मारीचोनिहतोयैस्तुखरोयैस्तुसदूषणः ।।6.110.31।।क्रौञ्चावनेविराधस्तुकबन्धोदण्डकेवने ।यैस्सालागिरयोभग्नावाली च क्षुभितोऽम्बुधिः ।।6.110.32।।त इमेसायकास्सर्वेयुद्धेप्रात्ययिकाममकिनुतत्कारणंयेनरावणेमन्दतेजसः ।।6.110.33।।

Transliteration

ta ime sāyakāḥ sarve yuddhe prātyayikā mama |

kiṃ nu tat kāraṇaṃ yena rāvaṇe mandatejasaḥ ||

Translation

Diese meine Pfeile — im Kampf stets zuverlässig — zeigen jetzt keine Wirkung. Was ist also der Grund, dass sie gegen Rāvaṇa, dessen Glanz geschwunden ist, nicht zum Erfolg führen?

Word by Word

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्ता

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (of sāyakāḥ)

• सायकाः: arrows
• सायकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्ता

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• प्रात्ययिकाः: ineffective / failing (in effect)
• प्रात्ययिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रात्ययिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of sāyakāḥ)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; सम्बन्ध

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम

• नु: indeed/then
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/निपात (interrogative particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (of kāraṇam)

• कारणम्: reason
• कारणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता/वाक्यविषय

• येन: by which
• येन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध/हेतु (by which)

• रावणे: in/with regard to Ravana
• रावणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण/विषय (with respect to Ravana)

• मन्द-तेजसः: of diminished splendor
• मन्द-तेजसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमास (मन्दं तेजः यस्य) विशेषण (of rāvaṇe understood)

Context

'Earlier, by my arrows, Maricha was killed, Dushana and Khara were killed, Kabhanda was killed in Krauncha forest, Virada was killed in Dandaka forest. By which arrows Sala trees were cut off, mountain was broken, ocean was agitated, and Vali was killed, are wasted with Ravana, who is less brilliant in war. What is the reason?'

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Satya-oriented dharma: righteousness requires honest diagnosis of obstacles; when usual methods fail, one must seek the true cause and the right remedy.

What is the narrative situation?

Mid-battle, Rāma wonders why his normally effective arrows are not bringing Rāvaṇa down.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Intellectual integrity—Rāma questions results and searches for causes rather than blaming fate or abandoning effort.