Shloka 32

युद्धकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशः सर्गः — धूम्राक्षवधश्रवणं, वज्रदंष्ट्रप्रेषणं, अङ्गद-राक्षसयुद्धम्

Ravana Dispatches Vajradamshtra; Portents and Angada’s Assault

Devanagari script

हारकेयूरवस्स्रैश्चशत्रैश्चसमलङ्कृता ।भूमिर्भातिरणेतत्रशारदीवयथानिशा ।।।।

Transliteration

hāra-keyūra-vastraiś ca śastraiś ca samalaṅkṛtā |

bhūmir bhāti raṇe tatra śāradīva yathā niśā ||

Translation

Dort auf dem Schlachtfeld glänzte die Erde — gleichsam „geschmückt“ mit Halsketten, Armreifen, Gewändern und Waffen — wie eine Herbstnacht.

Word by Word

• हारकेयूरवस्त्रैः: with necklaces, armlets, and clothes
• हारकेयूरवस्त्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हार + केयूर + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘with necklaces, armlets, and garments’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• समलङ्कृता: adorned all over
• समलङ्कृता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-लङ्कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘fully adorned’ (qualifying भूमिः)

• भूमिः: the ground
• भूमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भाति: shines
• भाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• शारदी: autumnal
• शारदी: Upamāna-dharma (उपमानधर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāradī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying निशा)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as, just as)

• निशा: night
• निशा: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)

Context

The king of Rakshasas, being a deceit, having spoken in that way, many generals of the army went accompanied by elephants, horses, camels, and donkeys with chariots decorated with banners and pennons, and diadems collected together.

Characters & Entities

• Battlefield
• Armlets (keyūra)
• Garments (vastra)
• Weapons (śastra)

FAQs

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

The poetic “adornment” is ironic: it suggests that worldly splendor (jewels, fine cloth) becomes meaningless in adharma-driven conflict, reinforcing dharma’s teaching that inner righteousness outweighs outward display.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator paints a vivid scene of the battlefield strewn with ornaments and weapons, using an autumn-night simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Aesthetic discernment in narration rather than a character virtue; the epic’s poetic vision conveys moral reflection through imagery.