Shloka 53

Devanagari script

स हताश्वादवप्लुत्यरथान्मथितसारथिः ।शरवर्षेणसौमित्रिमभ्यधावतरावणिः ।।।।

Transliteration

sa hatāśvād avaplutya rathān mathita-sārathiḥ | śara-varṣeṇa saumitrim abhyadhāvata rāvaṇiḥ ||6.90.53||

Translation

Da seine Pferde erschlagen und sein Wagenlenker getroffen war, sprang Rāvaṇas Sohn vom Wagen und stürmte auf Saumitrī (Lakṣmaṇa) zu, ihn mit einem Pfeilregen überschüttend.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• हताश्वात्: from (the chariot) whose horses were slain
• हताश्वात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हत + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: हताः अश्वाः यस्य (context); पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; ablative ‘from (the chariot) with slain horses’

• अवप्लुत्य: leaping down
• अवप्लुत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-प्लु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) ‘having leapt down’

• रथात्: from the chariot
• रथात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• मथितसारथिः: whose charioteer was struck down
• मथितसारथिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मथित + सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: मथितः सारथिः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शरवर्षेण: with a rain of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: शराणां वर्षम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• सौमित्रिम्: Saumitri (Lakshmana)
• सौमित्रिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमित्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; patronymic of Lakshmana

• अभ्यधावत: rushed at/assailed
• अभ्यधावत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रावणिः: Ravani (Indrajit)
• रावणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; patronymic ‘son of Ravana’

Context

Charioteer dead, horses killed that Indrajith leapt down and assailed Lakshmana by raining arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit
• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitrī)
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the battlefield reality where adharma-driven hostility persists even after setbacks; it sets the stage for dharma’s defense—Lakṣmaṇa must meet aggression with disciplined resistance.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit, having lost chariot support, switches to fighting on foot and intensifies the attack on Lakṣmaṇa with volleys of arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indrajit’s relentless martial drive (though morally aligned with the wrong side), contrasted implicitly with Lakṣmaṇa’s duty to withstand and protect the righteous mission.