Shloka 39

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

वानरोद्घुष्टघोषश्चराक्षसानां च निस्स्वनः ।ज्याशब्दश्चापिरामस्यत्रयंव्याप्यदिशोदश ।।।।

Transliteration

vānarodghuṣṭaghoṣaś ca rākṣasānāṃ ca nissvanaḥ |

jyāśabdaś cāpi rāmasya trayaṃ vyāpya diśo daśa ||

Translation

Das Geschrei der Vānara, das Dröhnen der Rākṣasa und das Schnarren von Rāmas Bogensehne—diese drei Klänge erfüllten die zehn Himmelsrichtungen.

Word by Word

• vānara-udghuṣṭa-ghoṣaḥ: the shout raised by the monkeys
• vānara-udghuṣṭa-ghoṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + udghuṣṭa (कृदन्त, √ghuṣ/घुष्) + ghoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa sense: 'vānareṇa udghuṣṭaḥ ghoṣaḥ'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (Conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• rākṣasānām: of the Rakshasas
• rākṣasānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (Conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• nissvanaḥ: the loud din/wailing sound
• nissvanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nissvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• jyā-śabdaḥ: the twang of the bowstring
• jyā-śabdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyā (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'jyāyāḥ śabdaḥ'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (Conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/Anvaya-nipāta (Particle/निपात: 'also/even')

• rāmasya: of Rama
• rāmasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• trayam: the three (sounds)
• trayam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom/Acc; प्रथमा/द्वितीया) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• vyāpya: having spread/pervading
• vyāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vyāp (व्याप्, धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त), 'having pervaded/spreading over'

• diśaḥ: the directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक; numeral)
• Form: Saṅkhyā-vācaka (Numeral/संख्या), Avikāri in form here; agrees with diśaḥ: Feminine Accusative Plural sense

Context

The sound of Rama's bow twang, the clamour of the Vanaras as well as the wailing of Rakshasas, all the three could be heard in all ten directions.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vānaras
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Actions in the moral arena have wide impact: dharmic struggle is not private but reverberates through society (symbolized by the ten directions).

What is the narrative situation?

The poet summarizes the battlefield’s dominant sounds as they pervade the world around Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Shared commitment: allies coordinate around a righteous leader, while opponents respond in fear and uproar.