Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 96

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

तान्मोघानभिसम्प्रेक्ष्यलक्ष्मणःपरवीरहा ।अभ्यवर्षन्महेषूणांसहस्रेणमहायशाः ।।।।

Transliteration

tān moghān abhisampekṣya lakṣmaṇaḥ paravīrahā | abhyavarṣan maheṣūṇāṁ sahasreṇa mahāyaśāḥ ||

Translation

Als Lakṣmaṇa, der Bezwinger feindlicher Helden und ruhmreich an Kraft, sah, dass jene Pfeile wirkungslos waren, ließ er tausend mächtige Geschosse herabregnen.

Word by Word

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• moghān: ineffective/fruitless
• moghān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; qualifies tān (bāṇān implied)

• abhisamprekṣya: having observed
• abhisamprekṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi-sam-√prekṣ (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• para-vīra-hā: slayer of enemy heroes
• para-vīra-hā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + han (प्रातिपदिक from √han)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: parānāṃ vīrāṇāṃ hā (slayer); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet of Lakṣmaṇa

• abhyavarṣan: showered
• abhyavarṣan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi√vṛṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• maheṣūṇām: of great arrows
• maheṣūṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + iṣu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: mahā iṣavaḥ; पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• sahasreṇa: with a thousand
• sahasreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• mahāyaśāḥ: of great fame
• mahāyaśāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: mahad yaśaḥ yasya; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet of Lakṣmaṇa

Context

Lakshmana of great fame, subduer of enemy looking at the arrows becoming useless mighty hero released thousand arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Atikāya

FAQs

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

Perseverance in righteous duty: when a just effort fails, one does not abandon the cause but renews effort with greater focus.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa recognizes his earlier arrows are ineffective and escalates the attack with a massive volley.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s steadfastness and tactical persistence under resistance.