Valmiki Ramayana 6.71.98 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 71, Shloka 98

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

शरंचाशीविषाकारंलक्ष्मणायव्यपासृजत् ।स तेनविद्धस्सौमित्रिर्मर्मदेशेशरेण ह ।।।।मुहूर्तमात्रंनिस्संज्ञोह्यभवच्छत्रुतापनः ।

Transliteration

śaraṁ cāśīviṣākāraṁ lakṣmaṇāya vyapāsṛjat | sa tena viddhaḥ saumitrir marmadeśe śareṇa ha || muhūrtamātraṁ nissaṁjño hy abhavac chatrutāpanaḥ ||

Translation

Da schleuderte er auf Lakṣmaṇa einen Pfeil, gleich einer giftigen Schlange. Von diesem Geschoss an einer lebenswichtigen Stelle getroffen, sank Saumitrī, der Feindversenger, für einen kurzen Augenblick in Ohnmacht.

Word by Word

• śaram: an arrow
• śaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• āśīviṣa-ākāram: having the form of a venomous serpent
• āśīviṣa-ākāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āśīviṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: āśīviṣasya ākāraḥ; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies śaram

• lakṣmaṇāya: towards Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• vyapāsṛjat: sent forth/shot
• vyapāsṛjat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-apa-√sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; refers to Saumitrī

• tena: by that
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• viddhaḥ: pierced/wounded
• viddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vyadh (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with saumitriḥ

• saumitriḥ: Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa)
• saumitriḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• marmadeśe: in a vital spot
• marmadeśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: marma (प्रातिपदिक) + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: marmasya deśaḥ; पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• śareṇa: by an arrow
• śareṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• ha: indeed
• ha: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• muhūrta-mātram: for only a moment
• muhūrta-mātram: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (measure): muhūrtasya mātram; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used adverbially (कालपरिमाण)

• nis-saṃjñaḥ: unconscious
• nis-saṃjñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis- (उपसर्ग) + saṃjña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with śatrutāpanaḥ

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (causal/emphatic particle)

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śatru-tāpanaḥ: tormentor of foes
• śatru-tāpanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + tāpana (प्रातिपदिक; from √tap/causative sense)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: śatrūṇāṃ tāpanaḥ; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet of Lakṣmaṇa

Context

Atikaya released an arrow resembling a poisonous serpent at Lakshmana. Pierced in vital part Saumithri, the tormentor of the enemy lost consciousness for a while.

Characters & Entities

• Atikāya
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitrī)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes endurance under adversity: even the righteous warrior may be struck down temporarily, yet must return to duty without abandoning purpose.

What is the narrative situation?

Atikāya wounds Lakṣmaṇa in a vital spot; Lakṣmaṇa briefly faints on the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s resilience is implied—his role as ‘tormentor of foes’ persists despite a momentary collapse.