Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 91, Shloka 84

इन्द्रजित्-वधः

The Slaying of Indrajit

Devanagari script

यथास्तङ्गतआदित्येनावतिष्ठन्तिरश्मयः ।तथातस्मिन्निपतितेराक्षसास्तेगतादिशः ।।।।

Transliteration

yathāstaṅgate āditye nāvatiṣṭhanti raśmayaḥ |

tathā tasmin nipatite rākṣasās te gatādiśaḥ ||

Translation

जैसे सूर्य अस्त हो जाने पर उसकी किरणें नहीं ठहरतीं, वैसे ही उसके गिरते ही वे राक्षस सब दिशाओं में भाग गए।

Word by Word

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (उपमान/यथार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण) introducing comparison

• astaṃgate: when (it is) set
• astaṃgate: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: astaṃ-gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: astaṃ + gata ('gone to setting'); PPP-like adjective; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with 'āditye'

• āditye: in/when the sun
• āditye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āditya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• avatiṣṭhanti: remain / stay
• avatiṣṭhanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-sthā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• raśmayaḥ: rays
• raśmayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raśmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tathā: so / likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (तथार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण)

• tasmin: when/where he (was)
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (contextual), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nipatite: when (he) had fallen
• nipatite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-pat (धातु) > nipatita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: PPP (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); 'when he had fallen'

• rākṣasāḥ: Rakshasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with rākṣasāḥ

• gatādiśaḥ: scattered in all directions
• gatādiśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (बहुव्रीहि): gata-ādiśaḥ = 'those whose directions are gone' i.e., scattered; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Context

Just as Sun rays go away as soon as the Sun sets in the evening, the Rakshasas also went in all directions seeing Indrajith fallen.

Characters & Entities

• Āditya (Sun)
• Indrajit (implied by tasmin)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma is enduring like the sun’s lawful course; adharma-based power is transient—when its ‘sun’ sets, its ‘rays’ (followers) vanish.

What is the narrative situation?

A poetic comparison explains how swiftly the Rākṣasas dispersed once Indrajit fell.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): recognizing the impermanence of fear-based power and the stability of righteousness.