Shloka 24

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

Indrajit’s Brahmastra Rite and the Crushing of the Vanara Host

Devanagari script

सतत्राग्निंसमास्तीर्यशरपत्रैस्सतोमरैः ।।।।छागस्यकृष्णवर्णस्यगळंजग्राहजीवतः ।

Transliteration

sa tatrāgniṃ samāstīrya śarapatraiḥ satomaraiḥ | chāgasya kṛṣṇavarṇasya gaḷaṃ jagrāha jīvataḥ ||

Translation

彼はそこで聖なる火を敷き、矢のごとき葉と槍をもって覆い、供物のために黒き毛色の生きた山羊の首をつかんだ。

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (locative adverb): 'there'

• agnim: fire
• agnim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samāstīrya: having strewn/spread
• samāstīrya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√stṝ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having spread/strewn'

• śara-patraiḥ: with arrow-like leaves
• śara-patraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक) + patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'with arrow-leaves'

• sa-tomaraiḥ: with lances
• sa-tomaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tomara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; 'with lances'; 'sa-' = सह (with) as upasarga-like prefix in usage

• chāgasya: of a goat
• chāgasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन

• kṛṣṇa-varṇasya: black-colored
• kṛṣṇa-varṇasya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: 'कृष्णः वर्णः यस्य' (black-colored)

• gaḷam: neck/throat
• gaḷam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaḷa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jagrāha: seized/grasped
• jagrāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'he seized'

• jīvataḥ: living
• jīvataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīvat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त 'living'—qualifies chāgasya: 'of a living goat'

Context

There he strewed into the fire, lances as leaves, dark coloured live go at clasped by its neck and consigned.

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit
• Agni (fire)

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds ritual action involving harm; the dharmic reflection is that sacred acts must be measured by compassion and truth, not only by efficacy.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit proceeds with the rite’s intense, martial symbolism and prepares the animal offering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve and fearlessness, expressed through uncompromising performance of a formidable ritual.