Shloka 40

लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः

The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle

Devanagari script

तस्यकार्मुकमुक्सैश्चशरैस्तत्पुरगोपुरम् ।कैलासशृङ्गप्रतिमंविशीर्णमपतद्भुवि ।।।।

Transliteration

tasya kārmukamuktaiś ca śarais tat-puragopuram |

kailāsaśṛṅgapratimaṃ viśīrṇam apatan bhuvi ||

Translation

Herida por las flechas soltadas de su arco, la torre-puerta de la ciudad—semejante a una cumbre del Kailāsa—se astilló y cayó a tierra.

Word by Word

• tasya: his/that one's
• tasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (Pronoun/सर्वनाम), Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग) Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• kārmuka-muktaiḥ: released from bows
• kārmuka-muktaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārmuka (प्रातिपदिक) + mukta (कृदन्त, √muc/मुच्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'kārmukāt muktaiḥ'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (Conjunction/समुच्चय-निपात)

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/तृतीया) Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• tat-pura-gopuram: the gate-tower of that city
• tat-pura-gopuram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + pura (प्रातिपदिक) + gopura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'tasya purasya gopuram'

• kailāsa-śṛṅga-pratimam: resembling the peak of Kailasa
• kailāsa-śṛṅga-pratimam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + śṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + pratima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'kailāsasya śṛṅgasya pratimaḥ' (like Kailasa's peak)

• viśīrṇam: shattered/crumbled
• viśīrṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√śṝ (शॄ, धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter/नपुंसक), Dvitīyā (Accusative/द्वितीया) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन) agreeing with gopuram

• apatat: fell
• apatat: Kriyā (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (पत्, धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• bhuvi: on the ground
• bhuvi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

Context

The entrance gate of Lanka, which was like Kailasa, crumbled and fell by the shaft released from the bow of Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Laṅkā (implied city)
• Kailāsa

FAQs

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

Dharma can require decisive force against fortified adharma: the fall of the gate symbolizes the breaking of unjust power’s defenses.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma’s arrows strike Laṅkā’s imposing entrance structure, causing it to crumble and collapse.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kṛtaniścaya (firm resolve): Rāma acts effectively and purposefully to advance the righteous objective.