Shloka 32

मकराक्षवधः

The Slaying of Makarākṣa

Devanagari script

दुरवापम् महच्छूलंरुद्रदत्तंभयङ्करम् ।जाज्वल्यमानमाकाशेसंहारास्त्रमिवापरम् ।।।।यंदृष्टवादेवताःसर्वाभयार्ताविद्रुतादिशः ।

Transliteration

duravāpam mahacchūlaṃ rudradattaṃ bhayaṅkaram | jājvalyamānam ākāśe saṃhārāstram ivāparam || yaṃ dṛṣṭvā devatāḥ sarvā bhayārtā vidrutā diśaḥ |

Translation

Sebuah tombak besar—sukar ditahan, anugerah Rudra, mengerikan—menyala di angkasa bagaikan senjata pemusnah yang lain. Melihatnya, semua dewa diliputi takut dan lari ke segala penjuru arah.

Word by Word

• दुरवापम्: hard to ward off
• दुरवापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + avāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दुर्- अवाप्यः = difficult to obtain/ward off), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying शूलम्

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (stem महत्) qualifying शूलम्

• शूलम्: pike/trident
• शूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रुद्रदत्तम्: given by Rudra
• रुद्रदत्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudra + datta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रुद्रेण दत्तम्), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying शूलम्

• भयङ्करम्: terrifying
• भयङ्करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भयं करोति), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying शूलम्

• जाज्वल्यमानम्: blazing
• जाज्वल्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jval (ज्वल्, धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, middle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying शूलम्

• आकाशे: in the sky
• आकाशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• संहारास्त्रम्: a weapon of destruction
• संहारास्त्रम्: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhāra + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (संहारस्य अस्त्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• अपरम्: another (as it were)
• अपरम्: Upapada (उपपद/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'another/further' qualifying (संहारास्त्रम् इव)

• यम्: which
• यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to शूलम्

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having seen)

• देवताः: the gods
• देवताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; qualifying देवताः

• भयार्ताः: distressed with fear
• भयार्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भयेन आर्ताः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; qualifying देवताः

• विद्रुताः: fled
• विद्रुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + drutá (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle) from द्रु (to run) with वि-, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; qualifying देवताः

• दिशः: to the directions
• दिशः: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; destination (accusative)

Context

Seeing that pike, which was glowing like flame, by which the quarters were glowing brightly in the sky like the flame, which had been given by Rudra, which caused fear like another weapon of destruction, all gods fled in panic in all directions.

Characters & Entities

• Śūla (pike)
• Rudra
• Devas (gods)
• Ākāśa (sky)
• Directions (diś)

FAQs

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

Power divorced from dharma produces fear even among the exalted. The verse teaches that divine gifts (or capabilities) become ethically meaningful only through right use; otherwise they resemble instruments of ruin.

What is the narrative situation?

The rākṣasa’s pike is described as Rudra-given and apocalyptic in brilliance; its appearance causes even the gods to panic and scatter.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implicitly, the coming contrast: true greatness is not terrorizing others but standing firm in righteousness when terror appears.