Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 84

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

आग्नेयेनतदाऽस्त्रेणयोजयामाससायकम् ।।।।स जज्वालतदाबाणोधनुष्यस्यमहात्मनः ।

Transliteration

āgneyena tadāstreṇa yojayāmāsa sāyakam | sa jajvāla tadā bāṇo dhanuṣyasya mahātmanaḥ ||

Translation

Da verband er den Pfeil mit dem Agni-Astra; und sogleich loderte der Schaft auf dem Bogen des großherzigen Helden auf.

Word by Word

• āgneyena: fiery (Agni-related)
• āgneyena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āgneya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (astra-viśeṣaṇa), तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘of Agni’

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• astreṇa: with the missile/weapon
• astreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• yojayāmāsa: joined/charged (set)
• yojayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yuj (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative (णिजन्त), परस्मैपद

• sāyakam: the arrow
• sāyakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• saḥ: it/he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• jajvāla: blazed
• jajvāla: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jval (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक

• bāṇaḥ: the arrow
• bāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dhanuṣyasya: of the bow
• dhanuṣyasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled (one)
• mahātmanaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (mahā+ātman)

Context

Then Lakshmana by concentration of his mind fixed on fire god which presided over the arrow, that great self-fixed in his bow glowed.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Agni (Fire deity)
• bow
• arrow

FAQs

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

Power must serve righteous purpose: divine weapons (astra) are invoked with responsibility, aligned to Dharma rather than personal rage.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa prepares an Agni-astra; the arrow visibly ignites with astric energy.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Controlled strength and sacred discipline—using spiritual knowledge in service of Satya.