Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 78

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

तेबाणाःकालसङ्काशाराक्षसेन्द्रधुनुश्च्युताः ।।।।हेमपुङ्खारविप्रख्याश्चक्रुर्दीप्तमिवाम्बरम् ।

Transliteration

te bāṇāḥ kālasaṅkāśā rākṣasendradhanuś cyutāḥ | hemapuṅkhā raviprakhyāś cakrur dīptam ivāmbaram ||

Translation

Jene Pfeile, Kāla selbst gleich, vom Bogen des rākṣasischen Herrschers geschossen—goldbefiedert und sonnengleich leuchtend—ließen den Himmel wie in Flammen erscheinen.

Word by Word

• te: those/they
• te: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• bāṇāḥ: arrows
• bāṇāḥ: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• kāla-saṅkāśāḥ: like Time (Death)
• kāla-saṅkāśāḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'resembling Time/Death'

• rākṣasa-indra-dhanuḥ-cyutāḥ: shot from the rākṣasa-king’s bow
• rākṣasa-indra-dhanuḥ-cyutāḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक) + dhanuṣ (प्रातिपदिक) + cyuta (कृदन्त, √cyu धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'fallen/released from the bow of the rākṣasa-lord'; cyuta = PPP (क्त) of √cyu

• hema-puṅkhāḥ: gold-fletched
• hema-puṅkhāḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + puṅkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'having golden fletching'

• ravi-prakhyāḥ: sun-like in brilliance
• ravi-prakhyāḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक) + prakhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; 'sun-bright'

• cakruḥ: made
• cakruḥ: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• dīptam: glowing
• dīptam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpta (कृदन्त, √dīp धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; PPP (क्त) used adjectivally qualifying ambaram

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle

• ambaram: the sky
• ambaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Context

The gold feathered arrows released from the rakshasas's bow, were like death arrows which shone in the sky as if the sky was glowing.

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya (implied)
• Kāla (Time/Death)
• sky (ambara)

FAQs

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

A reminder of impermanence under Kāla: Dharma calls one to act rightly because power and life are fragile before Time.

What is the narrative situation?

Atikāya’s volley fills the sky with dazzling, terrifying arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not virtue but the portrayal of overwhelming force; it sets the stage for Lakṣmaṇa’s steadiness and righteous resistance.