Shloka 71

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host

Devanagari script

प्रच्छादयत्येषहिराक्षसेन्द्रस्सर्वाधिशस्सायकवृष्टिजालैः ।एतच्चसर्वंपतिताग्य्रशूरं न भ्राजतेवानरराजसैन्यम्।। ।।

Transliteration

pracchādayaty eṣa hi rākṣasendraḥ sarvādiśaḥ sāyakavṛṣṭi-jālaiḥ |

etac ca sarvaṃ patitāgraśūraṃ na bhrājate vānararāja-sainyam ||

Translation

Denn dieser Rākṣasa-König Indrajit verhüllt das Schlachtfeld ringsum mit einem dichten Netz von Pfeilregen; so glänzt das ganze Heer des Vānara-Königs, dessen vorderste Helden gefallen sind, im Kampf nicht mehr.

Word by Word

• pracchādayati: covers
• pracchādayati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chad (छद् धातु) + pra- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• eṣaḥ: this one (he)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• rākṣasa-indraḥ: king of Rakshasas
• rākṣasa-indraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• sarvā-diśaḥ: all directions/sides
• sarvā-diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाः दिशः)

• sāyaka-vṛṣṭi-jālaiḥ: with nets/volleys of arrow-showers
• sāyaka-vṛṣṭi-jālaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + jāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सायकानां वृष्टेः जालैः)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• sarvam: all (of it)
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• patita-agra-śūram: with foremost heroes fallen
• patita-agra-śūram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: patita (कृदन्त; √pat/पत्) + agra (प्रातिपदिक) + śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पतिताः अग्रशूराः यस्मिन्/यत्र तत्)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• bhrājate: shines/appears splendid
• bhrājate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhrāj (भ्राज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• vānara-rāja-sainyam: the Vanara king's army
• vānara-rāja-sainyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वानरराजस्य सैन्यम्)

Context

"This Rakshasa king is covered thickly with volley of arrows on all sides. Able warriors of Vanaras are falling and not happy."

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit
• Rākṣasa
• Vānara army

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how overwhelming force can dim even a righteous host; it implicitly contrasts the dharmic ideal of fair combat with tactics that rely on mass concealment and indiscriminate volleys.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit floods the battlefield with arrows from all sides, and the Vanara host appears devastated as its leading fighters fall.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance under calamity: the Vanara forces are tested in steadfastness despite sudden, disorienting violence.