Shloka 113

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

तेविषण्णमुखादीनाःप्रहारजनितश्रमाः ।विनेदुरुच्चैर्बहवस्सहसाविस्वरैस्स्वरैः ।।।।

Transliteration

te viṣaṇṇa-mukhā dīnāḥ prahāra-janita-śramāḥ |

vinedur uccair bahavaḥ sahasā visvaraiḥ svaraiḥ ||

Translation

Le visage abattu, le cœur brisé, épuisés par les coups, beaucoup d’entre eux poussèrent soudain de grands cris, rauques et dissonants.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; pronoun ‘they’

• विषण्णमुखादीनाः: with dejected faces and the like
• विषण्णमुखादीनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣaṇṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त; vi-ṣad/ṣad धातु ‘sink, be dejected’) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-प्रायः: ‘विषण्णं मुखं येषां ते’ + ‘आदि’ = ‘etc.’); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; qualifying ते

• प्रहारजनितश्रमाः: wearied due to blows
• प्रहारजनितश्रमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prahāra (प्रातिपदिक) + janita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त; jan धातु) + śrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (तृतीया/पञ्चमी-भाव: ‘प्रहारैः जनितः श्रमः येषां ते’); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• विनेदुः: roared / cried out
• विनेदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-nad (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; ‘they roared/cried out’

• उच्चैः: loudly
• उच्चैः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uccaiḥ (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) ‘loudly’

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘many’ qualifying ते

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् ‘suddenly/at once’

• विस्वरैः: discordant
• विस्वरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: visvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-प्रयोगः; तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; instrumental ‘with discordant’ qualifying स्वरैः

• स्वरैः: with voices/sounds
• स्वरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; ‘with voices/sounds’

Context

All the Rakshasas with desperate looks, their pride hurt, became very sad and burst into discordant tones roared aloud.

Characters & Entities

• Niśācaras (Rākṣasas)

FAQs

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

When inner alignment with dharma is absent, courage easily turns into panic; unrighteous collectives fracture under pressure.

What is the narrative situation?

After Atikāya’s fall, the rākṣasas become exhausted and demoralized, breaking into loud, chaotic cries.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse highlights not a virtue but a lack of steadiness—showing the psychological cost of fighting for a failing, adharmic cause.