Shloka 25

धूम्राक्षवधः

The Slaying of Dhumrākṣa

Devanagari script

धूम्राक्षस्तुधनुष्पाणिर्वानरान्रणमूर्धनि ।हसन्विद्रावयामासदिशस्तुशरवृष्टिभिः ।।6.52.25।।

Transliteration

dhūmrākṣas tu dhanuṣpāṇir vānarān raṇamūrdhani | hasan vidrāvayāmāsa diśas tu śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ ||6.52.25||

Translation

Dhūmrākṣa, den Bogen in der Hand an der Spitze der Schlacht, lachte und ließ Pfeilschauer niedergehen, sodass die Vānara nach allen Seiten auseinanderstoben.

Word by Word

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

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/particle

• धनुः-पाणिः: having a bow in hand
• धनुः-पाणिः: विशेषण (to धूम्राक्षः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanus + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘धनुः पाणौ यस्य’ (bow-in-hand; possessive sense often bahuvrīhi, but formed as tatpurusha-style epithet)

• वानरान्: the Vanaras
• वानरान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• रण-मूर्धनि: at the battle-front
• रण-मूर्धनि: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa + mūrdhan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘रणस्य मूर्धनि’ (at the forefront of battle)

• हसन्: laughing
• हसन्: कर्ता (Agent; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √has (हस्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विद्रावयामास: caused to scatter/drove away
• विद्रावयामास: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √dru (द्रु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative ‘made to flee’

• दिशः: to the directions
• दिशः: गति/देश (Goal/Direction; ‘into directions’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/particle

• शर-वृष्टिभिः: with showers of arrows
• शर-वृष्टिभिः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘शराणां वृष्टिः’

Context

Dhumraksha with his bow in hand, showering arrows, laughing in battlefront dispersed the Vanaras in directions.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūmrākṣa
• Vānara (Vanaras)
• Śara (arrows)

FAQs

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

The verse cautions against cruelty and arrogance in violence: laughter while causing suffering signals adharma (moral disorder), contrasting with the restrained seriousness expected in righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

Dhūmrākṣa takes an aggressive lead position and uses sustained arrow volleys to break Vanara formations and force dispersal.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

For Dhūmrākṣa, tactical aggression and confidence; by contrast, the verse implicitly values the Vanaras’ need to regroup with discipline rather than panic.