Shloka 55

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

विकीर्णैःपर्वताकारैरक्षोभिररिमर्दनैः ।।।।आसीद्वसुमतीपूर्णातदायुद्धमदान्वितैः ।

Transliteration

vikīrṇaiḥ parvatākārair akṣobhir arimardanaiḥ | āsīd vasumatī pūrṇā tadā yuddha-madānvitaiḥ ||

Translation

Da war die Erde überall mit berggleichen Leibern bedeckt: unerschütterliche, feindzermalmende Rākṣasas, trunken vom Hochmut der Schlacht.

Word by Word

• vikīrṇaiḥ: scattered, strewn
• vikīrṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikīrṇa (कृदन्त; √kṝ/कॄ "to scatter" + vi-; past passive participle)
• Form: Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन), Puṃliṅga/napuṃsakaliṅga-sādhāraṇa (agreeing with rākṣasaiḥ implied by akṣobhiḥ etc.)

• parvata-ākāraiḥ: with mountain-like forms
• parvata-ākāraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) "parvata-sadṛśa-ākāra"; Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana; Puṃliṅga (agreeing with akṣobhiḥ)

• akṣobhiḥ: by/with the unshakable ones (Rakshasas)
• akṣobhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• ari-mardanaiḥ: enemy-crushing
• ari-mardanaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक) + mardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) "ariṇāṃ mardana"; Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana (qualifying akṣobhiḥ)

• āsīt: was, became
• āsīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• vasumatī: the earth
• vasumatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasumatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• pūrṇā: full, covered
• pūrṇā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with vasumatī

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (temporal adverb/काल-अव्यय)

• yuddha-mada-anvitaiḥ: endowed with the intoxication of battle
• yuddha-mada-anvitaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + mada (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त; √i/इ "to go" with anu-; PPP used adjectivally = 'endowed with')
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) "yuddhasya madaḥ" + anvita; Tṛtīyā, Bahuvacana; Puṃliṅga (qualifying akṣobhiḥ etc.)

Context

There, the battlefield was filled with mountain like forms of Rakshasas drunk with the pride of warfare, lying scattered all over.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

The verse warns against yuddha-mada—intoxication with violent pride—showing how arrogance in conflict ends in ruin and suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

A battlefield tableau: after fierce fighting, the ground is covered with fallen Rākṣasas described as massive and formidable.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, steadiness over pride: true martial virtue aligns with disciplined duty, not intoxicated aggression.