Shloka 32

इन्द्रजितः ब्रह्मास्त्र-यागः तथा वानरसेनाविध्वंसः

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

Devanagari script

रावणिस्तुततस्सङ्कृद्धस्तान्निरीक्ष्यनिशाचरान् ।हृष्टाभवन्तोयुध्यन्तुवानराणांजिघांसया ।।।।

Transliteration

rāvaṇis tu tataḥ saṅkruddhas tān nirīkṣya niśācarān | hṛṣṭā bhavanto yudhyantu vānarāṇāṃ jighāṃsayā ||

Translation

そののちラーヴァニは憤怒に燃え、夜を行く者たちを見渡して言った。「喜べ。ヴァーナラどもを討ち滅ぼす思いで戦え。」

Word by Word

• rāvaṇiḥ: Rāvaṇi (Indrajit)
• rāvaṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): contrast/emphasis 'but/indeed'

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): 'then/thereafter'

• saṅkṛddhaḥ: enraged
• saṅkṛddhaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṅkṛddha (कृदन्त; √krudh/क्रुध् 'to be angry' → saṅkṛddha 'enraged')
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies rāvaṇiḥ)

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्म (object of nirīkṣya)

• nirīkṣya: having observed
• nirīkṣya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√īkṣ (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having looked at'

• niśācarān: night-rangers (Rakshasas)
• niśācarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समानाधिकरण/अप्पोजिशन to 'tān' (those night-rangers)

• hṛṣṭāḥ: joyful
• hṛṣṭāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣṭa (कृदन्त; √hṛṣ/हृष् 'to rejoice' → hṛṣṭa)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे (agreeing with 'bhavantaḥ')

• bhavantaḥ: you (sirs)
• bhavantaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavant (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/भवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; आदरार्थक सर्वनाम; here used as vocative-like address

• yudhyantu: fight!
• yudhyantu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yudh (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; आज्ञार्थे 'let them/you fight'

• vānarāṇām: of the Vanaras
• vānarāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive): 'of the Vanaras'

• jighāṃsayā: with the desire to kill
• jighāṃsayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jighāṃsā (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative noun from √han/हन् 'to kill')
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ (instrumental of motive): 'with intent to kill'

Context

Thereafter enraged Ravana's son looking at the Rakshasas said, "Be happy and kill the Vanaras in fight."

Characters & Entities

• Indrajit (Rāvaṇi)
• rākṣasas (niśācaras)
• vānaras

FAQs

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

It highlights how anger (krodha) can drive leadership into adharma—urging slaughter as an end in itself. The Ramayana repeatedly treats rage as a corrupter of judgment and righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

Indrajit rallies and commands the rākṣasa forces to engage the vānaras with lethal intent.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commanding authority and motivational force—yet colored by wrath, making it a cautionary example rather than an ideal.