Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरेघोरःसङ्ग्रामःसमवर्तत ।रक्षसांवानराणांचयथादेवासुरेपुरा ।।।।

Transliteration

etasminn antare ghoraḥ saṅgrāmaḥ samavartata |

rakṣasāṃ vānarāṇāṃ ca yathā devāsure purā ||

Translation

In diesem Augenblick entbrannte ein schrecklicher Kampf zwischen den Rākṣasas und den Vānaras, wie einst die Kriege der Devas und Asuras.

Word by Word

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka usage; Saptamī vibhakti (7th/locative), Ekavacana; ‘in this’

• antare: interval; meantime
• antare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī (7th/locative), Ekavacana; idiom ‘etasmin antare’ = ‘in the meantime’

• ghoraḥ: terrible
• ghoraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/nominative), Ekavacana; agrees with ‘saṅgrāmaḥ’

• saṅgrāmaḥ: battle
• saṅgrāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/nominative), Ekavacana

• samavartata: arose; took place
• samavartata: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु) with sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Laṅ lakāra (imperfect/past), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; Ātmanepada

• rakṣasām: of the Rakshasas
• rakṣasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/genitive), Bahuvacana

• vānarāṇām: of the Vanaras
• vānarāṇām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/genitive), Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samucchaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• yathā: as; like
• yathā: Upamāna-bodhaka (उपमान/marker of comparison)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; comparative particle (उपमा/यथा-शब्द)

• deva-asure: among Devas and Asuras
• deva-asure: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + asura (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/locative), Ekavacana; itaretara-dvandva: ‘devaś ca asuraś ca’ → ‘deva-asura’ (among Devas and Asuras)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक)

Context

In the meantime, dreadful conflict arose all over between Rakshasas and Vanaras, which was like the conflict between Devas and asuras earlier.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Vānaras
• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

The battle is framed as a struggle of order versus disorder; dharma is presented as a cosmic principle, not merely a personal preference.

What is the narrative situation?

Open combat begins in earnest between the two armies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage in the face of overwhelming conflict, and commitment to one’s side’s perceived righteous cause.