Shloka 36

निकुम्भिला

यज्ञविघ्नः — Vibhishana’s Counsel and Lakshmana’s March to Nikumbhila

Transliteration

vividham amalaśastrabhāsvaraṁ tad dhvajagahanaṁ vipulaṁ mahārathaiś ca | pratibhayatamaṁ aprameyavegaṁ timiram iva dviṣatāṁ balaṁ viveśa || 6.85.36 ||

Translation

Lakṣmaṇa memasuki bala musuh—teramat luas, dipenuhi panji-panji, menyala oleh senjata yang tak bernoda dan kereta-kereta perang agung—berwujud menggetarkan dan berkecepatan tak terukur, laksana seseorang memasuki gumpalan kegelapan.

Word by Word

• vividham: varied, manifold
• vividham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; agrees with following neuter noun (implicit/understood)

• amala-śastra-bhāsvaram: shining with spotless weapons
• amala-śastra-bhāsvaram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amala + śastra + bhāsvara (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; multi-member tatpuruṣa: (अमलानि शस्त्राणि) तैः भास्वरम् / or śastra-bhāsvara (शस्त्रैः भास्वर) with amala qualifying śastra

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• dhvaja-gahanam: dense with banners
• dhvaja-gahanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvaja + gahana (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (ध्वजैः गहनम्)

• vipulam: vast
• vipulam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying the same object

• mahā-rathaiḥ: with great charioteers
• mahā-rathaiḥ: Karaṇa/Sahakāraka (करण/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + ratha (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā-vibhakti, Bahuvacana (Plural); karmadhāraya (महान् रथः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• prati-bhayatamam: most terrifying
• prati-bhayatamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati + bhayātama (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa with intensifier; superlative sense (अतिशय-तम)

• aprameya-vegam: of immeasurable speed
• aprameya-vegam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aprameya + vega (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (अप्रमेयः वेगः यस्य) used adjectivally

• timiram: darkness
• timiram: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: timira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; upamāna in simile

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-vācaka avyaya (particle of comparison/उपमा)

• dviṣatām: of the enemies
• dviṣatām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dviṣat (कृदन्त; √dviṣ (धातु) + śatṛ)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (collective), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Bahuvacana; present participle used substantively: 'of the enemies'

• balam: army, force
• balam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of verb

• viveśa: entered, penetrated
• viveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √viś (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Past/लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथम), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Context

The Rakshasas with disfigured faces and arms, attacked the Vanaras, and their bodies pierced with weapons created great fear in them.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Weapons (śastra)

FAQs

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

Dharma is courageous service to a righteous mission: Lakṣmaṇa advances into danger not for personal glory but to uphold justice and protect the rightful cause.

What is the narrative situation?

In the thick of war, Lakṣmaṇa pushes into the enemy formation, described as dense and dark like a shroud of night.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearless valor (śaurya) coupled with duty—entering the ‘darkness’ of battle for dharmic ends.