Shloka 18

लङ्कानिरीक्षणं व्यूहविन्यासश्च

Survey of Lanka and Deployment of the Battle Formation

Devanagari script

जघनंकपिसेनायाःकपिराजोऽभिरक्षतु ।पश्चार्धमिवलोकस्यप्रचेतास्तेजसावृतः ।।।।

Transliteration

jaghanaṁ kapisēnāyāḥ kapirājo 'bhirakṣatu | paścārdham iva lokasya pracetās tejasāvṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Möge der König der Vānara die Nachhut des Vānara-Heeres schützen, wie Pracetas, von Glanz umhüllt, den Westen der Welt bewacht.

Word by Word

• jaghanam: the rear/hips (rear section)
• jaghanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaghana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kapisenāyāḥ: of the monkey army
• kapisenāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक) + senā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: kapi-senā = 'monkey-army'; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• kapirājaḥ: the monkey-king (Sugrīva)
• kapirājaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapi (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound: kapi-rāja = 'king of monkeys'; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhirakṣatu: let him guard/protect
• abhirakṣatu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, Imperative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• paścārdham: the western half/rear half
• paścārdham: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paścārdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• iva: as/like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमा-अव्यय)

• lokasya: of the world
• lokasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pracetāḥ: Pracetā (Varuṇa-like one)
• pracetāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pracetā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); epithet/name

• tejasā: with brilliance
• tejasā: Hetu/Instrument (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• āvṛtaḥ: covered/enveloped
• āvṛtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-vṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with pracetāḥ

Context

"Just as Pracheta who is covered by brilliance, rules the western side of the world, let the king of Vanaras protect the hips and loin portion of the Vanara army."

Characters & Entities

• Sugrīva (Kapirāja)
• Vanara army

FAQs

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

Dharma of guardianship: even the rear—often most vulnerable—must be protected by the most responsible authority.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma assigns Sugrīva the duty of securing the army’s rear, using a cosmic simile to stress its importance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sugrīva’s kingly duty (rājadharma): protection and steadiness rather than mere display of force.