Shloka 20

धूम्राक्षप्रेषणम्

The Dispatch of Dhūmrākṣa

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तस्तुधूम्राक्षोराक्षसेन्द्रेणधीमता ।कृत्वाप्रणामंसम्हृष्टोनिर्जगामनृपालयत् ।।6.51.20।।

Transliteration

evam uktas tu dhūmrākṣo rākṣasendreṇa dhīmatā |

kṛtvā praṇāmaṃ saṃhṛṣṭo nirjagāma nṛpālayāt ||6.51.20||

Translation

So vom weisen Herrn der Rākṣasas angesprochen, erwies Dhūmrākṣa seine Ehrerbietung und verließ, erfreut, den Königspalast.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय

• uktaḥ: having been told
• uktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having been told/ordered’

• tu: then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अन्वय-अव्यय (particle)

• dhūmrākṣaḥ: Dhumraksha
• dhūmrākṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūmrākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rākṣasa-indreṇa: by the Rakshasa-lord
• rākṣasa-indreṇa: Karana (करण/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa + indra (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘by the lord of Rakshasas’)

• dhīmatā: wise, intelligent
• dhīmatā: Karana (करण/Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; qualifying rākṣasa-indreṇa

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वान्त/absolutive); ‘having done’

• praṇāmam: salutation
• praṇāmam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• saṃhṛṣṭaḥ: delighted
• saṃhṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√hṛṣ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nirjagāma: went out
• nirjagāma: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nṛpa-ālayāt: from the king’s palace
• nṛpa-ālayāt: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa + ālaya (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘from the king’s palace/residence’)

Context

There after Dhumraksha went from the gateway and said to the Commander-in-Chief of the army" Get ready immediately and start quickly. Why delay?"

Characters & Entities

• Dhūmrākṣa
• Rāvaṇa
• Royal palace (nṛpālaya)

FAQs

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

The verse raises the ethical question of obedience: loyalty to a ruler is not automatically dharmic; true dharma requires aligning service with righteous ends.

What is the narrative situation?

After receiving Rāvaṇa’s order, Dhūmrākṣa salutes and leaves the palace to execute the command.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discipline and readiness to act are highlighted in Dhūmrākṣa, though the epic frames such virtues as incomplete without moral alignment.