Shloka 26

युद्धलक्षण-निमित्तदर्शनं तथा लङ्काद्वारव्यूहः

War Omens and the Encirclement of Lanka’s Gates

Devanagari script

ततःकालेमहाबाहुर्बलेनमहतावृतः ।प्रस्थितःपुरतोधवनीलङ्कामभिमुखःपुरीम् ।।6.41.26।।

Transliteration

tataḥ kāle mahā-bāhur balena mahatāvṛtaḥ | prasthitaḥ purato dhavanī laṅkām abhimukhaḥ purīm ||

Translation

やがて定めの時、広き腕をもつラーマは大軍に囲まれ、進軍の先頭に立って出発し、ランカーの都へと向かった。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (time/sequence: क्रमवाचक)

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• mahābāhuḥ: the mighty-armed one
• mahābāhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā+bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; bahuvrīhi: mahāntau bāhū yasya (one who has mighty arms)

• balena: with the army
• balena: Sahakārī/Saha (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• mahatā: great
• mahatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुṃsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of 'balena'

• vṛtaḥ: surrounded; attended
• vṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; past passive participle (kta/क्त) from √vṛ; predicate to subject

• prasthitaḥ: set out; departed
• prasthitaḥ: Kriyā/Karta (क्रिया/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra+sthā (धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; past participle (kta/क्त) from √sthā with pra-; used as finite sense 'set out'

• purataḥ: in front
• purataḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puratas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (place: देशवाचक)

• dhavanī: dawn; early morning
• dhavanī: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhavanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; used adverbially as time-marker (at dawn/early morning)

• laṅkām: Lanka
• laṅkām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• abhimukhaḥ: facing toward
• abhimukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi+mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of subject; governs accusative 'laṅkām/purīm' in sense 'facing toward'

• purīm: the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; in apposition to laṅkām

Context

Surrounded by a large army in front, the broad shouldered Rama proceeded towards Lanka.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Laṅkā
• Army (Vānara host implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is steadfast pursuit of a just mission: the leader advances with discipline and collective order toward confronting adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

The army begins its forward movement, with Rāma leading the forces toward Laṅkā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage and leadership—Rāma leads from the front, embodying responsibility for the campaign.