Shloka 38

त्रिशिरा-प्रबोधनम् तथा नरान्तक-वधः

Trisira’s Counsel and the Slaying of Naranthaka

Devanagari script

क्ष्वेळिडितास्फोटिनिनदैश्चचाल च वसुन्दरा ।।।।रक्षसांसिंहनादैश्चसंस्फोटेवतदाम्बरम् ।

Transliteration

kṣveḷiḍitāsphoṭininadaiś ca cāla ca vasundarā | rakṣasāṃ siṃhanādaiś ca saṃsphoṭeva tad ambaram ||

Translation

手を打ち鳴らす轟きと裂けるような音に大地は震え、羅刹たちの獅子の咆哮に、天さえも裂けんばかりであった。

Word by Word

• kṣveḷiḍita-asphoṭini-nadaiḥ: by the clapping/arm-slapping sounds
• kṣveḷiḍita-asphoṭini-nadaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣveḷiḍita (प्रातिपदिक) + asphoṭin (प्रातिपदिक) + nada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन), Masculine; compound 'with sounds of clapping/arm-slapping'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• cacāla: shook/moved
• cacāla: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cal (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• vasundarā: the earth
• vasundarā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasundharā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• rakṣasām: of the rākṣasas
• rakṣasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग; collective), Genitive (षष्ठी) Plural (बहुवचन)

• siṃhanādaiḥ: by lion-roars
• siṃhanādaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃhanāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ('lion-roar'); Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन), Masculine

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya-dyotaka (समुच्चय-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय)

• saṃsphoṭa: bursting/splitting
• saṃsphoṭa: Pradhāna-upamāna-dharma (उपमान-धर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃ+sphuṭ (धातु)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन); verbal noun 'bursting/splitting' used predicatively

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Simile particle (उपमा-वाचक अव्यय)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• ambaram: the sky
• ambaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

Context

By the sound of their clapping of arms and their lion roar it was as though the sky was breaking and the earth was shaking.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Earth (Vasundharā)
• Sky (Ambaram)

FAQs

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

The verse shows how violence magnifies into a force that disturbs the natural order; dharma warns against letting power become mere intimidation that destabilizes society and peace.

What is the narrative situation?

The rākṣasa host makes thunderous battle-noise; the narration heightens the scene by describing cosmic-scale trembling.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not virtue but the display of terrifying might—used here to characterize the rākṣasas’ psychological warfare.