Shloka 20

इन्द्रजितः अन्तर्धानयुद्धं

Indrajit’s Concealed Assault and the Fall of Rama and Lakshmana

Devanagari script

नह्यविद्धंतयोर्गात्रेबभूवाङ्गुळमन्तरम् ।नानिर्भिन्नंनचास्तब्दमाकराग्रादजिह्मगैः ।।6.45.20।।

Transliteration

na hy aviddhaṃ tayor gātre babhūvāṅguḷam antaram |

nānirbhinnaṃ na cāstabdam ākarāgrād ajihmagaiḥ ||6.45.20||

Translation

彼らの体には指一本分の隙間さえ残らず、頭からつま先まで、真っ直ぐに飛来する矢によって貫かれない場所はなかった。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• aviddham: unpierced
• aviddham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + viddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Negative prefix a-; Past participle (क्त) from √vyadh/vidh ‘to pierce’; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used predicatively with 'antaram'

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual

• gātre: in the body
• gātre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• babhūva: was/occurred
• babhūva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• aṅgulam: a finger-breadth
• aṅgulam: Visheshana (विशेषण/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; measure-word qualifying antaram

• antaram: a gap/space
• antaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; subject of babhūva

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• anirbhinnaṃ: unbroken/unpierced
• anirbhinnaṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + nir- + bhinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Negative a-; PPP (क्त) from √bhid ‘to split/pierce’ with prefix nir-; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicative (with implied 'antaram')

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• astabdham: unstiffened/unshaken
• astabdham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + stabdha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Negative a-; PPP (क्त) from √stambh ‘to stiffen’; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; predicative

• ākarāgrāt: from the very tip/edge
• ākarāgrāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākara (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ākara-agra = 'tip/edge of the body/limb' in context), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• ajihmagaiḥ: by straight (unerring) [arrows]
• ajihmagaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- + jihmaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Negative a-; Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; agent/instrumental: 'by straight (non-crooked) [arrows]' (jihmaga used for 'snake', here 'moving obliquely' → 'crooked'; a-jihmaga = not crooked)

Context

Not an inch of space on their bodies remained without being pierced. Not even a part of the body was left unshaken, unhurt, or wounded.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Arrows (śara)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores that dharmic duty can involve extreme personal cost; righteousness is maintained by steadfastness even when the body is overwhelmed.

What is the narrative situation?

The narration describes the intensity of Indrajit’s attack: the brothers are so struck that no space on their bodies is left untouched.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unyielding resolve (dhṛti): their role as protectors persists in meaning even when their physical strength is momentarily crushed.