Shloka 24

लङ्काद्वारव्यूहवर्णनम् / Disposition at the Gates of Lanka

Devanagari script

तद्भवांश्चतुरङ्गेणबलेनमहातावृतः ।।।।व्यूह्येदंवानरानीकंनिर्मथिष्यतिरावणम् ।

Transliteration

tad bhavāṃś caturaṅgeṇa balena mahatāvṛtaḥ | vyūhya idaṃ vānarānīkaṃ nirmathiṣyati rāvaṇam |

Translation

„So sollst du, umgeben von dieser großen viergliedrigen Streitmacht, dieses Vānara-Heer in Schlachtordnung aufstellen; so wirst du Rāvaṇa zermalmen.“

Word by Word

• tad: therefore
• tad: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (अव्यय/निपातवत्)
• Form: अन्वय-निपात (then/therefore)

• bhavān: you
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम

• caturaṅgeṇa: with the fourfold (army)
• caturaṅgeṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (caturṇām aṅgānām samāhāraḥ)

• balena: by force; with an army
• balena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• mahatā: great
• mahatā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण

• āvṛtaḥ: surrounded; covered
• āvṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√vṛ (धातु) + क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• vyūhya: having arrayed
• vyūhya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√ūh (धातु) + क्त्वा-लोप (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive): having arranged in battle-array

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• vānarānīkam: the monkey-army
• vānarānīkam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara-anīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (vānārāṇām anīkam)

• nirmathiṣyati: will crush; will churn up
• nirmathiṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√math (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rāvaṇam: Ravana
• rāvaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन

Context

"You also have these Vanara armies surrounded by four kinds of army, elephants, chariots, cavalry and foot soldiers."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• Vānara army
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Responsible use of strength: dharmic victory is pursued through order, discipline, and protection of allies, not chaos or rage.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa transitions from intelligence to practical war-planning, urging proper battle formation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic leadership—power guided by planning and coordination.