Shloka 99

अतिकायवधः

The Slaying of Atikāya

Devanagari script

ततःस्संज्ञामुपालभ्यचतुर्भिस्सायकोत्तमैः ।।।।निजघानहयान्सङ्ख्येसारथिं च महाबलः ।ध्वजस्योन्मथनंकृत्वाशरवर्षैररिन्दमः ।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ sa saṁjñām upālabhya caturbhiḥ sāyakottamaiḥ | nijaghāna hayān saṅkhye sārathiṁ ca mahābalaḥ | dhvajasya unmathanaṁ kṛtvā śaravarṣair arindamaḥ ||

Translation

やがて意識を取り戻すと、強大なる敵伏せの勇士は、四本の優れた矢で戦場の馬と御者を射倒し、さらに矢の雨をもって戦車の旗竿を打ち砕いた。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• saṃjñām: consciousness
• saṃjñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• upālabhya: having regained
• upālabhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upa-ā-√labh (धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): 'having regained/obtained'

• caturbhiḥ: with four
• caturbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• sāyaka-uttamaiḥ: with excellent arrows
• sāyaka-uttamaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: uttamāḥ sāyakāḥ; पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• nijaghāna: struck down
• nijaghāna: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√han (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• hayān: horses
• hayān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• saṅkhye: in battle
• saṅkhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṅkhya (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• sārathim: charioteer
• sārathim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mahābalaḥ: mighty
• mahābalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: mahad balaṃ yasya; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dhvajasya: of the banner/standard
• dhvajasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• unmathanam: uprooting/tearing off
• unmathanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: unmathana (प्रातिपदिक; from ud√math)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• śara-varṣaiḥ: with showers of arrows
• śara-varṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: śarāṇāṃ varṣaḥ; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• arindamaḥ: subduer of enemies
• arindamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक) + dama (प्रातिपदिक; from √dam)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: arīṇāṃ damaḥ; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; epithet

Context

Then mighty subduer of enemies, regaining senses, getting up destroyed the chariot pole with rain of arrows. Taking up four best arrows he struck down the chariot, charioteer, and the horses.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitrī)
• Atikāya
• Chariot (ratha)
• Banner/standard (dhvaja)

FAQs

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

Steadfast return to duty: after a setback, the righteous agent resumes action with clarity and effectiveness, prioritizing the removal of immediate threat.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa recovers from fainting and disables the enemy’s mobility and command by striking horses, charioteer, and the banner-staff.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage and tactical presence of mind—swiftly targeting what turns the tide of combat.