Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 79, Shloka 40

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

दृष्टवातेराक्षसास्सर्वेमकराक्षस्यपातनम् ।।।।लङ्कामेवप्रधावन्तरामबाणभयार्दिताः ।

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā te rākṣasāḥ sarve makarākṣasya pātanam | laṅkām eva pradhāvanta rāma-bāṇa-bhayārditāḥ ||

Translation

Als sie den Sturz Makarākṣas sahen, flohen all jene Rākṣasas, von Furcht vor Rāmas Pfeilen gepeinigt, geradewegs zurück nach Laṅkā.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), avyayībhāva-function; prior action

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural (बहुवचन)

• rākṣasāḥ: rākṣasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; agrees with rākṣasāḥ

• makarākṣasya: of Makarākṣa
• makarākṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makarākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• pātanam: the fall/downfall
• pātanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pat (धातु) + lyuṭ (ल्युट्) / pātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Action noun (ल्युट्), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of dṛṣṭvā

• laṅkām: to Laṅkā
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; goal of motion

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निश्चय/अवधारण)

• pradhāvanta: ran forth
• pradhāvanta: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्/Imperfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• rāma-bāṇa-bhaya-arditāḥ: afflicted by fear of Rama's arrows
• rāma-bāṇa-bhaya-arditāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक) + ardita (ard-धातु + kta, कृदन्त)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: rāmasya bāṇānāṃ bhayena arditāḥ), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; agrees with rākṣasāḥ

Context

Khara's son fell dead by the force of Rama's like arrow and the Devatas rejoiced seeing the night ranger shattered like a mountain struck by diamond bolt.।। ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēēkōnāśītitamassargaḥ ।।This is the end of the seventy ninth sarga of the Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Makarākṣa
• rākṣasas
• Rāma
• Laṅkā

FAQs

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

Adharma loses morale when confronted by steadfast righteousness; fear arises when unjust power realizes it cannot prevail against truth-backed duty.

What is the narrative situation?

After Makarākṣa is slain, the remaining rākṣasas retreat in panic to Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s deterrent strength—his disciplined power protects by preventing further harm.