Shloka 10

प्रहस्तवधः

The Slaying of Prahasta

Devanagari script

तेषामन्योन्यमासाद्यसङ्ग्रामःसुमहानभूत् ।।।।बहूनामश्मवृष्टिंचशरवर्षंचवर्षताम् ।

Transliteration

teṣām anyonyam āsādya saṅgrāmaḥ su-mahān abhūt | bahūnām aśma-vṛṣṭiṁ ca śara-varṣaṁ ca varṣatām ||6.58.10||

Translation

Als sie einander erreichten, entbrannte eine gewaltige Schlacht, und viele auf beiden Seiten ließen Steinregen und Pfeilhagel niedergehen.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation: 'of them')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम-शब्दः; लिङ्गम् अप्रासंगिकम् (pronoun)

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually / one another
• अन्योन्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्य + अन्य (प्रातिपदिक; परस्परार्थक-समास)
• Form: अव्यय (reciprocal adverb), उपपद-प्रयोगः; अर्थे 'परस्परम्'

• आसाद्य: having approached / reaching
• आसाद्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive: prior action to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु) → आसाद्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अर्थः 'प्राप्य/उपगम्य' (having approached)

• सङ्ग्रामः: battle / war
• सङ्ग्रामः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुमहान्: very great
• सुमहान्: विशेषण (Adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) सङ्ग्रामस्य

• अभूत्: was / happened / arose
• अभूत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) → अभूत्
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• बहूनाम्: of many
• बहूनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation: 'of many [warriors]')
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); 'बहूनाम् (जनानाम्)' इति शेष-निर्देशः

• अश्मवृष्टिम्: a rain/shower of rocks
• अश्मवृष्टिम्: कर्म (Object of 'varṣatām')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अश्मनां वृष्टिः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• शरवर्षम्: a rain/shower of arrows
• शरवर्षम्: कर्म (Object of 'varṣatām')
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शराणां वर्षः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• वर्षताम्: they showered / were raining down
• वर्षताम्: क्रिया (Verbal action: showering)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु) → वर्षताम्
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपदम्; वर्तमानकाले 'वर्षन्ताम्' इव प्रयोगः (they were showering)

Context

In the course of war many Rakshasas killed many Vanara leaders and many Vanaras killed many Rakshasas also.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas (implied combatants)
• Vānaras (implied combatants)

FAQs

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

It underscores the gravity of war: once violence is unleashed at scale, suffering multiplies; dharma therefore treats war as weighty and demands restraint, rules, and right purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

The armies collide at close range and the fight escalates into heavy projectile exchanges—stones and arrows in large quantities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective endurance and martial discipline—withstanding intense volleys requires steadiness, formation, and courage.