Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 111, Shloka 6

रावणवधः — The Slaying of Ravana

Brahmāstra Discharge

Devanagari script

यस्यवाजेषुपवनःफलेपावकभास्करौ ।शरीरमाकाशमयंगौरवेमेरुमन्दरौ ।।।।

Transliteration

yasya vājeṣu pavanaḥ phale pāvaka-bhāskarau |

śarīram ākāśamayaṃ gaurave meru-mandarau ||

Translation

Bei jenem Pfeil waltete der Wind über die Befiederung; Feuer und Sonne über die Spitze; sein Schaft war von himmlischer Art, und Meru und Mandara waren als sein Gewicht und seine Schwere eingesetzt.

Word by Word

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भव (pronoun, context-dependent)

• vājeṣu: in the feathers/plumes
• vājeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• pavanaḥ: the Wind (god)
• pavanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• phale: in the head/point
• phale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• pāvaka-bhāskarau: Fire and the Sun
• pāvaka-bhāskarau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka + bhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन

• śarīram: the body
• śarīram: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• ākāśa-mayam: sky-like / made of sky
• ākāśa-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ākāśa + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ākāśa-maya = made of sky); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) of śarīram

• gaurave: in heaviness/weight
• gaurave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• meru-mandarau: Meru and Mandara (mountains)
• meru-mandarau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru + mandara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन

Context

The wind god presided over its feathers, the fire god and the Sun god presided over its head, its energy was presided over by Meru and Mandara mountains and its weight by the sky.

Characters & Entities

• Wind (Pavana)
• Fire (Pāvaka/Agni)
• Sun (Bhāskara)
• Meru
• Mandara
• Divine arrow (Mahā-bāṇa)

FAQs

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

Dharma is supported by the cosmos: the weapon’s composition symbolizes that righteous action aligns with elemental and divine forces rather than private violence.

What is the narrative situation?

A heightened, mythic description of the weapon underscores its extraordinary and sanctioned nature before its decisive use.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Restraint and responsibility are implied: such a weapon is not for ordinary aims, but for restoring order.