Shloka 5.47.36

अक्षवधः (The Slaying of Prince Aksha) — Sundarakāṇḍa Sarga 47

Devanagari script

स भग्नबाहूरुकटीशिरोधरः क्षरन्नसृङिनर्मथितास्थिलोचनः।सम्भग्नसन्धि: प्रविकीर्णबन्धनो हतः क्षितौ वायुसुतेन राक्षसः।।5.47.36।।

Transliteration

sa bhagnabāhūrukaṭīśirodharaḥ kṣarann asṛg nirmathitāsthilocanaḥ |

sambhagnasandhiḥ pravikīrṇabandhano hataḥ kṣitau vāyusutena rākṣasaḥ ||5.47.36||

Translation

Struck down by Vāyu’s son (Hanumān), the rākṣasa fell upon the earth—his arms, thighs, hips, and neck shattered; blood streaming; bones crushed and eyes protruding; joints dislocated and sinews scattered.

Context

Hit by Hanuman, the ogre's arms, thighs, hips and neck broken, bones rendered to fragments, eyes protruded, joints disjointed, tendons strewn he was thrown down on the earth dripping blood.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Vāyu (Wind-god)
• Rākṣasa (Akṣa, implied by context)

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as the rightful use of force to neutralize adharma: Hanumān’s violence is not cruelty but the protective action of a messenger-warrior acting for a just cause (Sītā’s recovery and the defeat of tyranny).

What is the narrative situation?

In Laṅkā, Hanumān has engaged the rākṣasa forces; Akṣa (Rāvaṇa’s son) has been overcome, and this verse describes the physical aftermath of the blow and the fall to the ground.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s vīrya (heroic power) and unwavering resolve—his ability to act decisively against aggression while remaining committed to Rāma’s mission.