Shloka 2

मकराक्षस्य निर्गमनम्

The Deployment of Makaraksha and Ravana’s Fury

Devanagari script

नैरृतःक्रोधशोकाभ्यांद्वाभ्यांतुपरिमूर्छितः ।खरपुत्रंविशालाक्षंमकराक्षमचोदयत् ।।।।

Transliteration

nairṛtaḥ krodhaśokābhyāṃ dvābhyāṃ tu parimūrcchitaḥ |

khara-putraṃ viśālākṣaṃ makarākṣam acodayat ||

Translation

Rāvaṇa, von Zorn und Schmerz zugleich überwältigt und wie betäubt, ließ Makarākṣa rufen, den großäugigen Sohn Kharas.

Word by Word

• nairṛtaḥ: the Rakshasa (Ravana)
• nairṛtaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nairṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• krodhaśokābhyām: by anger and grief
• krodhaśokābhyām: Karaṇa (करण) / cause-instrument
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha + śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual; dvandva 'anger and grief'

• dvābhyām: by the two
• dvābhyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Instrumental, Dual; agrees with krodhaśokābhyām

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• parimūrchitaḥ: overwhelmed/bewildered
• parimūrchitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-mūrchita (प्रातिपदिक; √mūrch धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies nairṛtaḥ

• kharaputram: Khara's son
• kharaputram: Karma (कर्म) (object of acodayat)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa 'son of Khara'

• viśālākṣam: broad-eyed
• viśālākṣam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśāla + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; 'broad-eyed'; qualifies makarākṣam/kharaputram

• makarākṣam: Makaraksha
• makarākṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makara + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; proper name 'Makara-eyed'

• acodayat: summoned/urged
• acodayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√cud (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) Aorist, Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Singular; causative sense 'urged/sent for'

Context

There, the long whip dropped from the charioteer's hand and the Rakshasa's standard had fallen suddenly by divine will.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Makarākṣa
• Khara
• Rakṣasas

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how unchecked anger and grief can cloud judgment; Dharma requires steadiness of mind (self-mastery) before taking consequential action.

What is the narrative situation?

In the war at Laṅkā, Rāvaṇa—disturbed by events—decides to deploy another powerful warrior and calls for Makarākṣa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the implied virtue is mental discipline (dhairya/saṃyama), shown as lacking in Rāvaṇa at this moment.