Shloka 68

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

विप्रलम्भितवस्त्रं च विमुक्तकवचायुधम् ।।।।समुद्यतमहाप्रासंयष्टिशूलासिसङ्कुलम् ।प्रावर्ततमहारौद्रंयुद्धंवानररक्षसाम् ।।।।

Transliteration

vipralambhitavastraṃ ca vimuktakavacāyudham | samudyatamahāprāsaṃ yaṣṭiśūlāsisaṅkulam | prāvartata mahāraudraṃ yuddhaṃ vānararakṣasām ||

Translation

Da entbrannte die große, überaus grimmige Schlacht zwischen Vānaras und Rākṣasas: Gewänder waren zerzaust, Panzer und Waffen glitten ab; mächtige Lanzen wurden erhoben, und das Feld wimmelte von Stäben, Dreizacken und Schwertern.

Word by Word

• vipralambhita-vastram: with loosened garments
• vipralambhita-vastram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipralambhita (कृदन्त; vi+pra+√lamb/लम्ब् 'to hang/loosen'; past participle) + vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: vipralambhitaṃ vastram yasya (whose garments were loosened/slipped)

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

• vimukta-kavaca-āyudham: with armor and weapons cast off
• vimukta-kavaca-āyudham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimukta (कृदन्त; vi+√muc/मुच्; past participle) + kavaca (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: vimuktāni kavacāni āyudhāni ca yasya (whose armor and weapons were cast off/loosened)

• samudyata-mahā-prāsam: with great lances raised
• samudyata-mahā-prāsam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samudyata (कृदन्त; sam+ud+√yam/यम्; past participle) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + prāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: samudyatāḥ mahāprāsāḥ yasmin (where great lances were raised)

• yaṣṭi-śūla-asi-saṅkulam: crowded with spears, tridents, and swords
• yaṣṭi-śūla-asi-saṅkulam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + śūla (प्रातिपदिक) + asi (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: yaṣṭi-śūla-asi-bhiḥ saṅkulam (crowded with spears, tridents, swords)

• prāvartata: arose/began
• prāvartata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्; imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada: 'arose/began'

• mahā-raudram: very terrible/fierce
• mahā-raudram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifies yuddham

• yuddham: battle
• yuddham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; subject of prāvartata

• vānara-rakṣasām: of the monkeys and Rakshasas
• vānara-rakṣasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + rakṣasa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Bahuvacana; dvandva in genitive: 'of the Vanaras and Rakshasas'

Context

Highly enraged Vanaras and Rakshasas fought with them, raiment slipping, shields and weapons dodged, huge lances lifted to fight. They used fists, tridents, spears, and swords.

Characters & Entities

• Vānaras
• Rākṣasas
• śūla (trident)
• asi (sword)
• kavaca (armor)

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes the overwhelming momentum of war once unleashed; dharma in the Ramayana is also the wisdom to prevent conflict through truth and right conduct—because once battle begins, disorder and suffering spread beyond control.

What is the narrative situation?

The fight escalates into a full mêlée: clothing and armor are displaced, heavy weapons are raised, and multiple weapon-types crowd the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Perseverance under chaos (dhairya) is tested for both sides; the narrative spotlights the intensity of the collective struggle rather than an individual hero’s trait.