Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 44, Shloka 15

चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः (Sarga 44): निशायुद्धम्, धूलिरुधिरप्रवाहः, इन्द्रजितो मायायुद्धम्

Devanagari script

हतैर्वानरवीरैश्चशक्तिशूलपरश्वधैः ।।6.44.14।।निहतैःपर्वताकारैराक्षसैःकामरूपिभिः ।शस्त्रपुष्पोपहाराचतत्रासीद्युद्धमेदिनी ।।6.44.15।।दुर् ज्ञेयादुर्निवेशाचशोणितास्रावकर्दमा ।

Transliteration

hatair vānaravīraiś ca śaktiśūlaparaśvadhaiḥ ||6.44.14||

nihataiḥ parvatākārair rākṣasaiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ |

śastrapuṣpopahārā ca tatrāsīd yuddhamedīnī ||6.44.15||

durjñeyā durniveśā ca śoṇitāsrāvakardamā |

Translation

Das Schlachtfeld war bedeckt mit gefallenen Vānara-Helden und mit gestaltwandelnden Rākṣasas, die wie Berge niedergestürzt lagen. Dort schien die Erde des Kampfes ein Opfer aus „Blumen der Waffen“ zu empfangen und wurde schwer zu erkennen und zu überschreiten, verwandelt in blutigen Morast.

Word by Word

• सा: that (night)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Pronoun, Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• बभूव: became, was
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person singular, Perfect)

• निशा: night
• निशा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• घोरा: terrible
• घोरा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• हरिराक्षसहारिणी: destroying Vanaras and Rakshasas
• हरिराक्षसहारिणी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हरि + राक्षस + हारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-तत्पुरुष-संकर (हरयः च राक्षसाः च तेषां हारिणी/हन्त्री), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• कालरात्री: the night of doom
• कालरात्री: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालरात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (कालस्य रात्रिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-sambandha (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Plural)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Genitive, Plural)

• दुरतिक्रमा: hard to cross
• दुरतिक्रमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + अतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-सदृश (दुरतिक्रम्या), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

Context

There with warriors of Vanaras wounded by javelins, tridents and axes, and the Rakshasas of mountain size who could change their form at will, the battlefield was muddy, and wet with blood flowing and difficult to reach.

Characters & Entities

• Vānara warriors
• Rākṣasa warriors
• Śakti (javelin)
• Śūla (trident)
• Paraśvadha (axe)

FAQs

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

The repetition itself reinforces the ethical emphasis: war’s aftermath is not romanticized; dharma demands remembering consequences and preventing violence from becoming self-justifying.

What is the narrative situation?

A recensional duplication reiterates the battlefield’s condition—strewn with the dead and made impassable by blood and debris.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reflective awareness: the epic presses the listener to contemplate suffering as part of ethical judgment.