Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 99, Shloka 17

Mahāpārśva-vadhaḥ — The Slaying of Mahāpārśva

Angada’s Counterstrike

Devanagari script

स तुक्रुद्धोमहावेगोमहापार्श्वोमहाद्युति ।।।।करेणैकेनजग्राहसुमहान्तंपरश्वथम् ।

Transliteration

sa tu kruddho mahāvego mahāpārśvo mahādyutiḥ |

kareṇaikena jagrāha sumahāntaṃ paraśvatham ||

Translation

Then Mahāpārśva—furious, swift, and radiant—grasped with one hand a massive battle-axe.

Word by Word

• तम्: that (axe)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• तैलधौतम्: oil-polished/washed with oil
• तैलधौतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैल-धौत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (तैलेन धौतं)

• विमलम्: clean, bright
• विमलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शैलसारमयम्: made of mountain-essence (very hard)
• शैलसारमयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैल-सार-मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपमानार्थ (शैलस्य सारः इव/शैलसारात् मयम्)

• दृढम्: firm, strong
• दृढम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• राक्षसः: the rākṣasa
• राक्षसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• परमक्रुद्धः: extremely enraged
• परमक्रुद्धः: Karta-dharma (कर्तृधर्म/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-क्रुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (परमः क्रुद्धः)

• वालिपुत्रे: upon Vāli's son
• वालिपुत्रे: Adhikarana/Target (अधिकरण/लक्ष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालि-पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/लक्ष्य), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वालिनः पुत्रः)

• न्यपातयत्: hurled/struck down
• न्यपातयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: नि-; णिच्-प्रेरण (causative) ‘caused to fall/struck down’

Context

Angry Mahaparsva, who was endowed with speed and shining brightly, took hold of an extraordinary battle axe in one hand.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāpārśva

FAQs

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

It warns how anger escalates violence; Dharma requires mastery over krodha, because fury seeks heavier weapons and greater harm.

What is the narrative situation?

After being struck, Mahāpārśva regains momentum by arming himself with a formidable axe.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes martial energy (vega) but shows it colored by anger—power without inner discipline.