Shloka 33

शक्तिप्रहारः

Ravana’s Shakti Javelin and Lakshmana’s Wounding

Devanagari script

तामनुव्याहरच्छक्तिमापतन्तीं स राघवः ।स्वस्त्यस्तुलक्ष्मणआयेतिमोघाभवहतोद्यमा ।।।।

Transliteration

tām anuvyāharac chaktim āpatantīṃ sa rāghavaḥ | svasty astu lakṣmaṇāyety moghā bhava hatodyame ||

Translation

Comme la lance fondait sur lui, Rāghava prononça : «Que l’auspice soit sur Lakṣmaṇa ; que ton effort pour le terrasser soit rendu vain !»

Word by Word

• tām: that
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; refers to śaktim

• anuvyāharat: uttered (afterwards)/said
• anuvyāharat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + vyā + hṛ (धातु; here in sense ‘to utter’)
• Form: Laṅ lakāra (imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• śaktim: javelin/spear
• śaktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• āpatantīm: coming/falling towards
• āpatantīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + pat (धातु) → āpatantī (Śatṛ feminine)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; present active participle qualifying śaktim

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; apposition to saḥ

• svasti: well-being/auspiciousness
• svasti: Prayojana (प्रयोजन; blessing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svasti (अव्यय)
• Form: Maṅgala-avyaya (benedictive particle/मङ्गल)

• astu: may it be
• astu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (imperative/विधिलिङ्-like benedictive use), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• lakṣmaṇāya: for Lakṣmaṇa
• lakṣmaṇāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī (4th), Ekavacana; beneficiary

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति)

• moghā: fruitless
• moghā: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective (to implied tvam/you, i.e., śakti)

• bhava: become
• bhava: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• hatodyamā: with its effort thwarted
• hatodyamā: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata + udyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (hataḥ udyamaḥ yasyāḥ) used as bahuvrīhi-like epithet for śakti; predicate to moghā

Context

Hurled at terrific speed, that javelin, which was equal to thunderbolt, speedily went towards Lakshmana in the forefront of war.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• śakti (spear/javelin)

FAQs

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

Dharma as protective responsibility: Rāma’s immediate concern is his brother’s welfare, expressing righteous guardianship and unwavering commitment to what is right.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma sees the spear rushing toward Lakṣmaṇa and speaks a protective, auspicious utterance, wishing the enemy’s lethal intent to fail.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s compassion and fraternal duty (bhrātṛ-dharma), coupled with calm moral clarity even amid crisis.