Shloka 21

रावणवधः — The Slaying of Ravana

Brahmāstra Discharge

Devanagari script

तस्यहस्ताद्धतस्याशुकार्मुकं च ससायकम् ।निपपातसहप्राणैर्भ्रश्यमानस्यजीवितात् ।।।।

Transliteration

tasya hastād dhatasya āśu kārmukaṃ ca sa-sāyakam |

nipapāta saha prāṇair bhraśyamānasya jīvitāt ||

Translation

討たれて命がたちまち離れゆくと、その手にあった弓と矢はただちに落ちた――まるで命の息とともに落ちるかのように。

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him (Ravana)
• तस्य: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (Genitive singular)

• हस्तात्: from (his) hand
• हस्तात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (Ablative singular)

• हतस्य: of the slain
• हतस्य: षष्ठी-विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त/PPP; पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (genitive singular masculine qualifying तस्य)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: क्रियाविशेषणम्
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/शीघ्रता-वाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: quickly)

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative singular; subject with ससायकम्)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• ससायकम्: with arrows
• ससायकम्: कर्ता-विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सह सायकेन); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with कार्मुकम्)

• निपपात: fell down
• निपपात: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• सह: together with
• सह: सह-सम्बन्ध (Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहकारक-अव्ययम् (preposition-like indeclinable: 'together with')

• प्राणैः: life-breaths
• प्राणैः: सहकारक (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural; accompaniment with सह)

• भ्रश्यमानस्य: of one whose life was slipping away
• भ्रश्यमानस्य: षष्ठी-विशेषणम्
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रंश् (धातु) → भ्रश्यमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्/Passive present participle), पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (genitive singular)

• जीवितात्: from life
• जीवितात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी-एकवचनम् (Ablative singular)

Context

Thus, when Ravana was killed and lost his life, the bow and arrow in his hand also fell along with his life breath.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• kārmuka (bow)
• sāyaka (arrow)
• prāṇa (life-breath)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the inevitability of karma-phala: when unrighteous power collapses, even its instruments (weapons, authority) fall away with life itself.

What is the narrative situation?

Immediately after Rāvaṇa is killed, his bow and arrow slip from his hand as his life-breath departs.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indirectly, Rāma’s steadfastness in yuddha-dharma is highlighted through the decisive end of the adharma-driven antagonist.