Shloka 52

युद्धकाण्डे एकोनषष्टितमः सर्गः

Rāvaṇa’s Assault on Nīla and Lakṣmaṇa; Hanumān Bears Rāma

Devanagari script

सरावणंवारणहस्तबाहुंददर्शभीमोद्यतदीप्तचापम् ।प्रच्छादयन्तंशरवृष्टिजालैस्तान्वानराभनिन्नविकीर्णदेहान् ।।6.59.52।।

Transliteration

sa rāvaṇaṃ vāraṇahastabāhuṃ dadarśa bhīmodyatadīptacāpam | pracchādayantaṃ śaravṛṣṭijālais tān vānarān bhinnavikīrṇadehān ||6.59.52||

Translation

Er erblickte Rāvaṇa — furchterregend, mit Armen mächtig wie ein Elefantenrüssel — den flammenden Bogen erhoben, wie er das Feld mit Netzen von Pfeilregen verhüllte, während die Vānaras zerschmettert und zerstreut dalagen.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वारणहस्तबाहुम्: having arms like an elephant's trunk
• वारणहस्तबाहुम्: Karma-visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारण + हस्त + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): वारणस्य हस्त इव बाहू यस्य (arms like an elephant's trunk/hand)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भीमोद्यतदीप्तचापम्: with a fearsome raised blazing bow
• भीमोद्यतदीप्तचापम्: Karma-visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम + उद्यत + दीप्त + चाप (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive): भीमः उद्यतः दीप्तः चापः यस्य (with a fearsome, raised, blazing bow)

• प्रच्छादयन्तम्: covering; enveloping
• प्रच्छादयन्तम्: Karma-visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√छद् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-कर्तरि

• शरवृष्टिजालैः: with nets of showers of arrows
• शरवृष्टिजालैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + वृष्टि + जाल (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थ (determinative): शराणां वृष्टिः (shower of arrows) तस्य जालैः (with nets/meshes)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• वानरान्: Vanaras
• वानरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• भिन्नविकीर्णदेहान्: with bodies broken and scattered
• भिन्नविकीर्णदेहान्: Karma-visheshana (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न + विकीर्ण + देह (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: भिन्नाः विकीर्णाः देहाः येषाम् (whose bodies were broken and scattered)

Context

He saw Ravana, endowed with round shoulders like elephant trunks, with fierce bow glowing and the broken bodies of Vanaras spread all over. Ravana was showering nets of arrows and instigating vanaras.

Characters & Entities

• Ravana
• Vanaras

FAQs

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

The verse frames adharma through destructive aggression: overwhelming force used to break and scatter others, setting the stage for righteous resistance.

What is the narrative situation?

A combat scene: Ravana dominates the battlefield with intense archery, leaving vanara warriors wounded and scattered.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, it highlights the need for courageous protection of allies—prompting the hero to intervene against tyranny.