Shloka 89

युद्धकाण्डे एकोनषष्टितमः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वामहाबाहूरावणोराक्षसेश्वरः ।सन्धायबाणमस्त्रणचमूपतिमताडयत् ।।6.59.89।।

Transliteration

evam uktvā mahābāhū rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ |

sandhāya bāṇam astreṇa ca mūpatim atāḍayat ||6.59.89||

Translation

So sprach der großarmige Rāvaṇa, Herr der Rākṣasas; er legte den Pfeil an, rief das Astra an und traf den Heerführer.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb

• uktvā: having spoken
• uktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; ‘having said’

• mahā-bāhuḥ: mighty-armed
• mahā-bāhuḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहिः ‘one who has great arms’ qualifying rāvaṇaḥ

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• rākṣasa-īśvaraḥ: lord of the Rakshasas
• rākṣasa-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• sandhāya: having aimed/fixed
• sandhāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√dhā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; ‘having fixed/aimed’

• bāṇam: arrow
• bāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• astraṇa: with a missile (spell)
• astraṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘with a missile-spell/weapon-power’

• camū-patim: the army-commander
• camū-patim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: camū (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘lord of the army’

• atāḍayat: struck
• atāḍayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√taḍ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Context

Speaking like that, Ravana, the king of Rakshasas chanting the mantras and fixing the arrow struck the commander in chief (Neela) of the Vanara army.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Rākṣasas
• astra
• arrow (bāṇa)

FAQs

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

It reflects battlefield dharma where leadership is directly tested: commanders become prime targets, and the narrative underscores how power (astra) shifts the moral weight and stakes of combat.

What is the narrative situation?

After taunting Nīla, Rāvaṇa launches an astra-charged arrow and hits the Vānara commander.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Decisiveness and martial capability—swift action following speech, characteristic of a fierce war-leader.